08 Sep 15 - 11:20 AM (#3736259) Subject: Lyr Add: SEE THEM BUZZARDS (from Oscar Brand) From: Mrrzy SEE THEM BUZZARDS As recorded by Oscar Brand on "Laughing America" (1970) 1. I had a friend and his name was Joe, And we went a-herdin' cows when the sun was low. The cattle stampeded and we couldn't get ahead. Now my friend Joe is dead. CHORUS: Oh, see them buzzards; see them buzzards flyin' low. Oh, see them buzzards flyin' over Joe. Oh, shoot them buzzards; shoot them buzzards flyin' 'round, And bury poor Joe in the ground. 2. My leg is broken and I can't get away, But the boys'll be here by the end of day. It won't help Joe as he lies on the ground Where the big longhorns knocked him down. Oh, see them buzzards.... 3. Joe had a girl and she was true. When she hears about this, she won't know what to do. She loved him well in her simple way. If she were here she would say: "Oh, see them buzzards...." |
08 Sep 15 - 11:21 AM (#3736260) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy I remembered this gem JUST in time to sing it before leaving the cowboy-themed camping thing yesterday, very surprised not to find it in the Trad or ever discussed in the Forum. |
08 Sep 15 - 11:57 AM (#3736263) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: GUEST,.gargoyle Dear MRZY.... THIS is a real gem....thank you for adding it. Do you recall, when, where and how you first "crossed paths" with this? Sincerely, Gargoyle Blessings on you and the family |
08 Sep 15 - 12:21 PM (#3736269) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: GUEST Detail.CFM?messages__Message_ID=1249135 |
08 Sep 15 - 01:19 PM (#3736282) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy My parents had the record, and this is one dad liked to sing in the car. THe girl says Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh before see them buzzards... |
08 Sep 15 - 01:22 PM (#3736285) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy The tidbit from the above link, THANK YOU guest I sought for instances of this song within the forum and didn't find it, says that Pete Seeger held that a guy who had himself called Frank O. Frank wrote this song but claimed he hadn't. Does anybody have the Laughing America album on vinyl? There might be liner notes... |
08 Sep 15 - 01:27 PM (#3736287) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy OK, found the liner notes online here. They say about this song: Occupational hazards have, in like manner, occasioned musical derision. The tarrier who is blown up by a dynamite explosion is docked for the time he was up in the sky. The paratrooper sings, "Gory, gory, what a helluva way to die", and the moonshiner intones, "If the law don't come to me, I'll drink till I die". The cowboy sings SEE THEM BUZZARDS. This song, apprehended from Frank Beddo and his collection of Bejar Ballads, sounds more like a high-toned lark than a pure product of the folk. But, as a charter folk-member, I hereby propose it for membership into our generous songbag. Its heart is in the right place. Could Frank Beddo be the Frank (O. Frank) who gave Frank as his last name only when pushed, from the above Pete Seeger quote? |
08 Sep 15 - 01:28 PM (#3736288) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy Forgot the blicky for the liner notes themselves, sorry, they were supposed to be at the word "here" in the opening sentence above. |
08 Sep 15 - 01:31 PM (#3736290) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: GUEST,# https://www.google.ca/search?q=Laughing+America+album+on+vinyl&rlz=1C1CHNY_enCA587CA587&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMIlp-e1PrnxwIVxICSCh33BAMz&biw=1440&bih=785#tbm=isch&q=%22Laughing+America%22+album+on+vinyl&imgrc=VtAN3qdqLqPTxM%3A There are liner notes available there, but I don't know how to blow it up. It's in Google Images with a google of Laughing America album on vinyl |
08 Sep 15 - 01:32 PM (#3736291) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: GUEST,# Cross posted, sorry. |
08 Sep 15 - 02:23 PM (#3736295) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Joe Offer You can hear the Oscar Brand recording of the song here: The lyrics on the Brand recording are just a bit different from what Mrr posted: SEE THEM BUZZARDS [Recorded by Oscar Brand (Laughing America album)] I had a friend and his name was Joe, And we went a-herding cows when the sun was low; The cattle stampeded and we couldn't get ahead, Now my friend Joe is dead. CHORUS Oh, see them buzzards, see them buzzards flying low; Oh, see them buzzards flying over Joe. Oh, shoot them buzzards, shoot them buzzards flying 'round, And bury poor Joe in the ground. My leg is broken and I can't get away, But the boys'll be here by the end of day; It won't help Joe as he lies on the ground, Where the big long horns knocked him down. CHORUS Joe had a girl and she was true, When she hears about this she won't know what to do; She loved him well in her simple way, If she were here she would say: CHORUS |
08 Sep 15 - 03:27 PM (#3736302) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy Thanks, Joe! I did pull these out of the back of my brain... |
08 Sep 15 - 04:46 PM (#3736310) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: GUEST,Lighter Clearly not "sung by cowboys" on the trail, however much one might wish it were so. Albert Frank Beddoe and "John D. Beddoe" seem to have written it - all out of their own heads - for the "folk opera," "Go Lightly, Stranger," book by Thomas W. Beddoe, copyright 1953. The same work included "Copper Kettle" - also, evidently, out of their own heads own head. |
06 Oct 16 - 05:50 PM (#3813166) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: GUEST,Stevebury I just found this song -- words and music -- in "Oscar Brand's Folk Songs for Fun," Hollis Music Inc., New York NY, 1961, pp 190-191 |
07 Oct 16 - 10:14 AM (#3813270) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy I had it by Oscar Brand, somewhere, but not that album. I think it was the one with Dunderbeck. |
07 Oct 16 - 03:07 PM (#3813305) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: See Them Buzzards From: Mrrzy I don't think anybody thinks it's an actual cowboy song by cowboys. It's a cowboy song by tenderfeet. |