ADD: I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)

Subject: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From:
Date: 13 Jan 97 - 01:37 PM

Looking for lyrics to old song: "I'm an Old Cowhand, from the Rio Grande." Don't know artist or author. May have been from a movie long time ago. Thanks for any help.

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: Rodney Rawlings
Date: 13 Jan 97 - 02:51 PM

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13 Jan 97 - 09:30 PM

Hi- From (failing) memory:

I'm an old cowhand From the Rio Grande Tho' my legs ain't bowed And my cheeks ain't tanned. I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now Yippe-I-O Ki-yay!

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: BillD
Date: 13 Jan 97 - 10:43 PM

I'm an old cowhand, from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride, 'fore I learned to stand
I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
'Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippe-I-o ki ay.(twice)

I'm an old cowhand, from the Rio Grande
Where the west is wild, 'round the border land
Where the Buffalo roam ...around the zoo,
And the indians make you a rug or two...
And the old Bar-x is a Bar-BQ
yip..etc...

I'm an old cowhand, from the Rio Grande
(line missing...will add it soon-my wife knows it!)
I know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bout the old corral where the dogies go
Cause I learned them all on the radio
Yippie...etc..

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From:
Date: 17 Jan 97 - 04:08 PM

If anyone can provide the one missing line from BillD's excellent recitation above, I will be very grateful. Feel free to e-mail it if you wish. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: Bill
Date: 17 Jan 97 - 06:25 PM

yes...someone please help, my wife & I have been thinking and we can't come up with it....one is almost tempted to write something....

"and I sing my songs, throughout the land"...uh..nope..

"where the music flows, on every hand"...hmmm, don't think so..

durn, but that's frustrating!!.Help! before I fake some more!!

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From:
Date: 17 Jan 97 - 06:28 PM

My officemate says it's "But my legs ain't bowed, and my cheeks ain't tanned."

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From:
Date: 20 Jan 97 - 02:24 PM

But my legs ain't bowed, and my cheeks ain't tanned." ...that's the first verse..I 'think' they have a different 2nd line for every verse...

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From:
Date: 20 Jan 97 - 11:21 PM

Somewhere, in the version we sang at camp
we had something like
Never roped a steer, never ??? a cow
Never rode a horse, cause I don't know how
Learned my songs on the radio
Yippie-I-O-Ki-Yay

If there are strange symbols in this thing, BTW, I'm trying to make it break lines by putting in the HTML symbol for it. If this isn't an HTML file, it's going to look funny.

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: Dick Wisan
Date: 20 Jan 97 - 11:26 PM

Pardon for forgetting to put a FROM: line in for the last entry. The real news is that I've found how to make this editor behave. Where you want the line to break, put a "<" followed by "BR" followed by ">" (Can't put it in all together, because it would merely cause a break instead of showing the symbol for it.

In my entry above, I probably should have spelled it "radiow". Rhymes with "cow".

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From:
Date: 27 Jan 97 - 12:15 AM

Does anyone know one which starts "Bang, I went a hunting"

[e-mail] or [e-mail]

Subject: ADD VERSE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Oct 99 - 02:27 PM

This song made the database without BillD's missing verse - click here. Darn. I thought his wife knew every verse to every song he sings but forgets verses to....
Somebody posted this additional verse in the Help forum:

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how...
And I shore ain't fixin' to start in now

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M AN OLD COWHAND (Johny Mercer)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Oct 99 - 02:59 PM

Aw, I shoulda guessed this was from my man Johnny Mercer, recorded by Bing Crosby for the 1936 movie Rhythm on the Range, and by Roy Rogers for the 1943 movie King of the Cowboys.

I'M AN OLD COWHAND (FROM THE RIO GRANDE)
(words & music by Johnny Mercer, 1936)
© 1936, John H. Mercer

Step aside you ornery Tenderfeet
Let a big bad buckaroo past
I'm the toughest hombre you'll ever meet
Tho' I may be the last.
Yessirree we're a vansishing race,
Nosirree can't last long.
Step aside you ornery Tenderfeet
While I sing my song.

I'm an old cowhand
From the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed
And my cheeks ain't tanned,
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow,
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how
And I sho' ain't fixin' to start in now.
Yippy I O Ki Ay,
Yippy I O Ki Ay.

I'm an old cowhand
From the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride,
'Fore I learned to stand
I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
'Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-Eight
Yippy I O Ki Ay,
Yippy I O Ki Ay.

I'm an old cowhand
From the Rio Grande
And I come to town
Just to hear the band,
I know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bout the old corral where the doagies go
'Cause I learned them all on the radio
Yippy I O Ki Ay,
Yippy I O Ki Ay.

I'm an old cowhand
From the Rio Grande
Where the West is wild,
'Round the Border land
Where the buffalo roam around the Zoo,
And the Indians make you a rug or two...
And the old Bar-X is a Bar B Q
Yippy I O Ki Ay,
Yippy I O Ki Ay.


Source: Johnny Mercer: The Life, Times, and Song Lyrics of Our Huckleberry Friend, by Bob Bach and Ginger Mercer (1982), page 56

JRO

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: Gene
Date: 15 Oct 99 - 08:01 PM

How 'bout the Sons Of The Pioneers Novelty Version -

THE COWPIE - * CLICK HERE *

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M AN OLD COWHAND (FROM THE RIO GRANDE)
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 02:26 AM

A few versions found online and RR & SOP version.

I'm An Old Cowhand
ROY ROGERS & THE SONS OF THE PIONEERS
Written by: Johnny Mercer
Source: Sons Of The Pioneers SP-7907

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
Well I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how
And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
And I learned to ride before I learned to stand
Well I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the lone star state
'cause I ride the range in a ford v-8
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
And I come to town just to hear the band
I know all the songs that the cowboys know
'bout the big corral where the dogies go
'cause I learned them all on the radio
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
Where the west is wild 'round the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
And the indians make you a rug or two
And the old bar-X is a bar-be-cue
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

==============

Bing Crosby - I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande)

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer cause I don't know how
Sure ain't a fixin to start in now
Yippie yi yo kayah

I'm an old cowhand and I come down from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride, ride, ride 'fore I learned to stand
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippie yi yo kayah

We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
And we come to town just to hear the band
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bbout the big corral where the doggies go
We learned them all on the radio
Yippie yi yo kayah

I'm an old cowhand
Oh yes, Mr. Bing.
Too hot for you, Uncle Fudd'
Down from the Rio Grande
Oh where the west is wild all around the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
and the Injuns run up a rug or two
and the old Bar X is just a barbecue, yeah
Yippie yi yo kayah

I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I don't bat an eye in a shootin' match.
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch.
Yippie yi yo kayah
Yippie yi yo kayah

Get along little horsy
Get along little horsy
Yippie yi yo kayah, oh!

------------------------------------------------------------------

Frank Sinatra - I'm an Old Cowhand Lyrics

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
But my legs ain't bowed
And my cheeks ain't tanned
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how
And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
And I learned to ride
'fore I learned to stand
I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the lone star state
'cause I ride the range in a ford v8
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay

I know all the songs that the cowboys know
'bout the big corral where the dogies go
'cause I learned them all on the rad-ee-o

Hey, yppie-yi-yo-ki-yay
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay

=======

Harry Connick, Jr. - I'm an Old Cowhand Lyrics

Oh, step aside, y'all ornery tenderfeet
'cause I'm about to sing my song

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
But my legs ain't bowed, and my cheeks ain't tan
Well I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how
And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
And I learned to ride before I learned to stand
Well I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the lone star state
'cause I ride the range in a ford v-8
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

Look out, I'm gonna show y'all how to ride now
Here we go

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
And I come to town just to hear the band
I know all the songs that the cowboys know
'bout the big corral where the dogies go
'cause I learned them all on the radio
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

Now my story's almost done, so listen up!
You ain't got much longer now

I'm an old cowhand from the rio grande
Where the west is wild round the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
And the indian make you a rug or two
And the old bar-x is the bar-be-cue
Oh, yippee-i-o-ki-ay, yippee-i-o-ki-ay

I'm just an old cowhand...

====

RAY CHARLES lyrics - "I'm An Old Cowhand"

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
And my legs ain't bowed, my cheeks ain't tanned
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how
And I sure ain't fixin' to start in now
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay, Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay
I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride 'fore I learned to stand
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star state
'cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay

And I come to town just to hear the band
I know all the songs that the cowboys know
'bout the big corral where the dogies go
'cause I learned them all on the radio
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay
Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay
[flutes play one final "Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay"]

=====

NICKEL CREEK

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned
I'm the cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how
I sure ain't fixin' to start in now
Yippee i oh ti-ay! Yippee i oh ti-ay!

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride before I learned to stand
I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
'Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippee i oh ti-ay! Yippee i oh ti-ay!

We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
And we come to town just to hear the band
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bout the Big Corral where the dogies go
We learned them all on the radio
Yipee i oh ti-ay! Yippee i oh ti-ay!

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
Where the West is wild all around the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
And the Indians run up a rug or two
And the old Bar X is just a barbeque
Yippee i oh ti-ay!
I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I don't bat an eye in a suit or hat
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch
Yippee i oh ti-ay! Yippee i oh ti-ay! Yippee i oh ti-ay!

=====

Subject: Lyr Add: I'M AN OLD COWHAND (FROM THE RIO GRANDE)
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 06:04 AM

I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)
Sons of the Pioneers

Intro: Bm F#m (3x)

    D       G    D      D       G    D
1. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay
                  G A             D
    I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
                   G    A             D
    And I sing the songs in the cowboy band

Chorus:
          Bm                     F#m
    I know all the songs that the cowboys know
             Bm                   F#m
    About the big corral where the dogies go
          Bm                     F#m
    'Cuz I learned 'em all on the radio


2. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay
    He's an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
    And he plays the fiddle in the cowboy band

Fiddle solo like chorus (Bm F#m)

3. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay
    He's an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
    And he calls the dance in the cowboy band

Caller's Chorus: (Bm F#m)
    Dosie-do all around your pard
    Swing that gal 'til she gits "tarred"                  (tired)
    Allemande left in your own backyard.


4. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay
    He's an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
    And he plays guitar in the cowboy band

Guitar solo like chorus (Bm F#m)

5. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay
    He's an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
    And he plays the bass in the cowboy band

Bass solo like chorus (Bm F#m)

6. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay

Fiddle, guitar, bass instrumental like chorus (Bm F#m)

7. Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay

    Ooooooeeeeoooooeeeeeeoooooaaaaaeeeeoooooo.... (yodeling)

    Ooooooeeeeoooooeeeeeeoooooaaaaaeeeeoooooo.... (yodeling)

    Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay,   Yipee-yi-O-kie-yay

Subject: RE: Old Cowhand from Rio Grande
From: Ferrara
Date: 09 Mar 05 - 03:06 PM

So funny to read this now. Especially Joe Offer's comment about thinking I knew every verse to every song.... LOL

The verse that was missing from Bill's version is the only verse I ever knew of the song. That's why I couldn't figure out the missing line, which was from a verse I didn't know. But -- Who knows why I couldn't remember the darned first verse at the time? I certainly remembered it as soon as I started reading this thread today.

Oh well, for some of us senility is a lifelong condition....
Rita F

Subject: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Gary T
Date: 05 Nov 05 - 01:23 AM

In reference to Johnny Mercer's "I'm an Old Cowhand", a friend says he remembers (vaguely) a straightforward song that this parodies (where presumably the singers legs are bowed, etc.). I find no reference to this alleged song on the net. What I do find indicates that Mercer was poking fun at cowboy wannabees.

Is this a take-off on a serious song, or is my friend mistaken?

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Nov 05 - 02:40 AM

One of my very old fake books shows the Johnny Mercer composition as ©1936 Leo Feist, Inc, NY, with a rnewal ©1963 Leo Feist.

The first copyright may indicate when the song was originally released, which may help with searches.

While "borrowing" from older, and often more serious, songs was fairly common, that the song was "poking fun" at anything may overstate things a bit. The song is quite typical of stuff that was popular in that era, and references to how "civilization" was invading the old West were fairly common. Remember too, that in that era most of the songs were targeted at the Broadway (and/or movie) audience back in "New Yawk Sity" so few of them are likely to be - or be based on - real "trail songs."

You might find something on one of the several thousand possible variant spellings of the "tag line," "Yippy Ki-O, Ki-Aye" although hits probably will be pretty iffy, as the published music of the era showed lots of "imaginative" variants.

Assuming you've got the Mercer lyrics, often a search on a few "distinctive partial phrases" is more fruitful than just looking for a title.

John

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 05 Nov 05 - 02:49 AM

Long-shot note: The last verse or two at the site you linked were seldom sung by "cowboy" performers I recall. The reference in the last lines to "They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch" suggests the faint possibility that at least that verse was a "written for" one of the "Bowery Boys" movie series of the era. "Satch" was one of the prominent members of the gang, and a few "Bowery Boys out West" movies were made when they ran out of big city plots (or what passed as plots in old slapstick movies).

Lots of the movies of the era were parodies of other movies...

John

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Louie Roy
Date: 05 Nov 05 - 12:38 PM

The version I learned were like this

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer for I don't know how
And I sure ain't fixing to start right now
Yippi Io Ki Ya Yippi Io Ki Ya

Im an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride before I learned to stand
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V 8
Yippi Io Ki Ya Yippi Io Ki Ya

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
And I come to town just to hear the band
I know all the songs that the cowboys know
Bout the big corral where the doggies go
Cause I learned them all on the radio
Yippi Io Ki Ya Yippi Io Ki Ya

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
Where the west is wild around the border land
Where the buffalo roam aroud the zoo
And the indians make you a rug or two
And the Old Bar X is a barbecue
Yippi Io Ki Ya Yippi Io Ki Ya

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Louie Roy
Date: 05 Nov 05 - 12:57 PM

The reason this was sent twice I was having trouble with my PC.Also this was written by Johnnie Mercer in 1936 and this is the original version

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Nov 05 - 03:31 PM

OLD COWHAND FROM RIO GRANDE in the DT.
Lyr Req: I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande), a thread started 13 Jan 1997 that contains NINE VERSIONS, including Mercer's original, but none older.
Lyr Req: I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande, a thread started 19 Oct 2001 in which someone speculates that Mercer's song was a parody of something older, and Joe Offer sets him straight.
Lyr Req: Songs about Fords, a thread from 27 Apr 2005 in which someone posts yet another inferior copy, from memory.

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Nov 05 - 04:52 PM

There are bawdy versions. One I heard at a rodeo, which I would like to find.
A version from the war in Korea, Old Papa-san," at http://immortalia.com
Another has the verse We must sink or swim
With Ngo Dinh Diem
We will hear no phoo
About Madame Nhu.

But I am looking for a western parody about an old top hand.
Anyone?

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Gary T
Date: 06 Nov 05 - 07:03 PM

Thanks all for your input. Unless and until my friend shows evidence to the contraty, I'll figure that he was mistaken about this. It appears that Mercer's song was a stand-alone original rather than a direct parody of a predecessor.

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: open mike
Date: 06 Nov 05 - 10:25 PM

could this be it?
Texan Top Hand by Don Walser?
http://www.donwalser.com/albums_page.htm

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 06 Nov 05 - 11:14 PM

No; a very bawdy parody with the same melody and form of Mercer's "I'm an Old Cowhand."

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 07 Nov 05 - 06:36 AM

It's possible that your friend heard one of the parodies/adaptations of Mercer's original, and it's Mercer's that he has in mind when he says "the song" is a parody?

Find A Grave The Bowery Boys identifies "Satch" (the way it was pronounced) as:

Hall, Huntz (Henry)    b. August 15, 1919 d. January 30, 1999
Popular motion picture actor of the 1930s to 1990s. Fondly remembered for his role of 'Sach' in a number of East Side Kids and Bowery Boys films.

Iff there's a possible connection to a satirical "Old Cowhand" in the lyric linked in the original post, it would be the Bboys version that was the satire on the Mercer original, perhaps, and this might be the connection remembered by someone(?).

"East Side Kids," "Bowery Boys," and "Dead End Kids" were names applied to this particular gang's series of movies.

If someone really wanted to pursue this, more information might be found searching on the "leader" of the gang, than on other members:

Gorcey, Leo    b. June 3, 1917 d. June 2, 1969
American motion picture actor of the 1930s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. Widely known as the leader of the "Eastside Kids," the "Dead End Kids," and "The Bowery Boys

Other gang members:
Halop, Billy    b. February 11, 1920 d. November 9, 1976
Jordan, Bobby    b. April 1, 1923 d. September 10, 1965
Punsly, Bernard   b. July 11, 1923 d. January 20, 2004

I don't' recall what "stage names" any of the others used in the films.

Vintage Library lists some of their films, but not the few "Out West" ones I recall. I suspect they were fairly late in their run of movies, possibly late 40s or early 50s.

Note that searches for "Bowery Boys" may turn up the real gangs of an earlier era as described by Answers.com: Bowery Boys but I don't' think they did satire. (But there might be songs about them.)

John

Subject: RE: I'm an Old Cowhand - origin?
From: Flash Company
Date: 07 Nov 05 - 10:50 AM

Parody of the 'singing cowboy' was popular at the time Johnnie Mercer wrote the song. There is another one I know called 'The west aint what it used to be'.

The old corral is now a parking place,
For fifty cents you get a tiny space,
You turn and twist and bend 'er,
And bust your new suspender,
And throw your neighbours fender in his face.

FC

Subject: ADD: I'm an Deckhand (Tony & Celia Becker)
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 22 - 03:11 PM

Per the request of Joe Offer, here is our song:

I'M AN OLD DECKHAND
©2015 Tony & Celia Becker
Tune: of I'm An Old Cowhand ©1936 Leo Feist/©1964 Johnny Mercer
Recorded by Bing Crosby with Jimmy Dorsey, 1936 (#2)

(Spoken)
Avast! ye pack of hen-hearted Landlubbers, let an swaggering sea dog get past,
I'm the meanest swashbuckler you'll ever meet, though I won’t be the last.
Aye, we’re a prosperin’ breed, with more comin’ along.
Make way, ye belly-crawling wharf-rats, while I sing my song.

I'm an old Deckhand from a Pirate Band,
But my eye ain't patched and my cheeks ain't tanned,
I'm a sailor, who ain’t never been to sea,
Never tied a knot or sung a sea chantey,
I just sit in the pub drinking’ rum and tea.
Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho! Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho!

I'm an old Deckhand from a Pirate Band,
And I learned to sail 'fore I learned to stand,
I know every port on the Seven Seas
From Madagascar to Saint Augustine,
'Cause I learnt them all watching Jeopardy.
Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho! Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho!

I'm an old Deckhand from a Pirate Band,
My boots are new and my duds are grand,
They’re from every sea but they ain’t been wet,
They’re authentic cloth and period correct,
'Cause I found them all on the Internet.
Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho! Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho!

I'm an old Deckhand from a Pirate Band
And my blades are sharp ‘nuf to slice smoked ham,
My Dirks bejeweled with crystal rare,
My Cutlass the finest Pakistani ware
'Cause I bought them both at a Renaissance Faire!
Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho! Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho!

I'm an old Deckhand from a Pirate Band
And I’ve dug for gold in the Florida sand,
Got my hair done up all in tight cornrows,
Heavy eye-liner ‘n fake teeth with holes,
'Cause I copied them all from Jack Sparrow
Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho! Yo-ho-yo-ho-ho

Subject: RE: ADD: I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Aug 22 - 08:08 PM

I recall hearing Harry Connick Jr.'s recording of this one.

Subject: RE: ADD: I'm an Old Cowhand (from the Rio Grande)
From: leeneia
Date: 13 Aug 22 - 03:43 PM

You can see Rhythm on the Range, the movie where Bing Crosby introduced this song, on YouTube, for free.