Addition to version in "Our Singing Country," posted above by Joe. NOTE: There are some minor differences in the lyrics- 'ladies' in the first verse are replaced by an audience of rangers, and an additional verse at the end.
1 Come, all you Texas rangers, wherever you may be, I'll tell you of some troubles that happened unto me. My name is nothing extra, so it I will not tell,- And here's to all you rangers, I am sure I wish you well.
2-9 No changes.
10 And now my song is ended; I guess I have sung enough; The life of a ranger I am sure is very tough. And here's to all you ladies, I am sure I wish you well, I am bound to go a-ranging, so ladies, fare you well.
other verses the same as those posted by Joe. John A. Lomax, 1925, "Cowboy Songs," pp. 44-46. No notes, no score. I do not know if this was in the original 1910 edition or added in the revision of 1916.
In 1938, Lomax and Lomax printed the song in 11 verses, in "Cowboy Songs and other Frontier Ballads," pp. 359-361, with musical score taken from Shoemaker, "Mountain Minstrelsy of Pennsylvania," p. 91, "Cf. "The Ex-Ranger's Song" (not seen). There are some minor differences in the lyrics and the musical score is slightly different-
TEXAS RANGERS
1 Come all you Texas rangers, wherever you may be, I'll tell you of some troubles that happened unto me. My name is nothing extra, so it I will not tell- And here's to all you rangers, I'm sure I wish you well.
2-9 Same as posted by Joe.
10 I am a harmless ranger, as I have said before, My mother and my sister are on this earth no more; The reason why I ramble, now you can plainly see, I have no wife or sweetheart to weep and mourn for me.
11 And now my song is ended; I guess I have sung enough; The life of a ranger I am sure is very tough. And here's to all you ladies, I am sure I wish you well, I am bound to go a-ranging; so, ladies, far you well.
The extra verses about rambling weaken the song. _____________________________ Speculation- Song not originally from Texas? No early collections seem to be from there. Further checking necessary.