DT Correction: Bill Pickett (by Mark Ross)

Subject: RE: DT Attribution & Minor Corrections PermaThread
From: Mark Ross
Date: 22 Mar 08 - 06:03 PM

My song OLD BILL PICKETT is in the DT under BILL PICKETT with my name on it, but it's missing the 3rd verse.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: DT Correction: Bill Pickett (by Mark Ross)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Mar 08 - 03:19 AM

Mark, can you post the missing verse and correct the lyrics we have?
-Joe-

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Here's what we have:

BILL PICKETT
(Mark Ross)

Old Bill Pickett's gone away, over the Great Divide
To the place where all the preachers say both saint and sinner abide
And if they check his brand, like I think they will
It's a running horse they'll give to Bill
And a herd of steers till he's had his fill
And a great big crowd to watch him ride

Old Bill Pickett's a long time gone
Left me here to sing this song
Old Bill Pickett's a long time gone
Left me here to sing this song

Now Old Bill Pickett was a mighty black man, and he rode for the 1-0-1
Way down in the Comanche land, 'round the time that the West was won
He'd grab a steer from a running ho'se; throw him down with a mighty toss
He worked for many but he had no boss, he's the last of the great cowhands

Now way down in the Mexican land, Bill took a terrific dare
To try and toss a fighting bull, just to see how he might fare
Bill grabbed old Toro by the horns, grabbed the bull's nose in his jaws
That crowd never seen such a sight before
For an hour and a half they cheered

With the great Will Rogers and wild Tom Mix, Bill rode in the rodeo
And for all who paid their fifty cents, they gave a terrific show
For all who paid to come and see, Bill'd wrestle steers -- with his teeth
We've never seen such amazing feats, because he left us long ago

It was way down on the Miller ranch in the year of 'Thirty-two
Bill Pickett roped a sorrel stud, just to see what he could do
That sorrel stud, he pitched and bucked
Stomped Bill's body in the dust
At seventy-three, Bill was out of luck
He took eleven days to die
There was nothing they could do

They laid Bill down in a six-by-three, beneath the land he knew
And at the head they placed a cross, said "of his kind we've seen few"
Then 'round the fire they drank some wine
And old Zack Miller wrote these lines
Left 'em there for me to find
To put to music and sing to you

@cowboy @death
filename[ BILLPCKT
JN

Subject: DT Correction: Bill Pickett (Mark Ross)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 04:14 PM

Here are the corrected lyrics Mark sent me:

OLD BILL PICKETT
(Mark Ross)

Old Bill Pickett's gone away over the Great Divide,
To the place where all the preachers say both saint and sinner abide,
If they check his brand like I think they will, it's a running horse they'll give to Bill,
And some good wild steers 'til he gets his fill,
And a great big crowd to watch him ride.

CHORUS:
Old Bill Pickett's long time gone,
Left me here to sing this song. (2X)

Old Bill Pickett was a mighty black man, and he rode for the 101
Way down yonder on the Cherokee lands around when the West was won,
He'd jump a steer from a running horse, and throw him down with a mighty toss,
He worked for many but he had no boss,
He was the last of the great cowhands.

CHORUS

Way down South in Mexico he took a great big dare,
To try and hold a fighting bull to see how he would fare,
He grabbed Old Toro by the horns, grabbed the bull's nose in his jaws,
The crowd never seen such a thing before,
For an hour and a half they cheered.

CHORUS

With the great Will Rogers and wild Tom Mix he rode for the rodeo,
For all who paid their 50 cents he gave a great big show,
For all who paid to come and see, Bill wrassled steers with his teeth,
We've never seen such a mighty feat,
'Cause he left us long ago.

CHORUS

Way down on the Miller Ranch in the year of '32,
Bill Pickett roped a sorrel stud to see what he could do,
That sorrel stomped and jumped and bucked, and tromped Bills' body in the dust,
At 73 Bill was out of luck,
He took eleven days to die, there was nothing we could do.

CHORUS

So we laid him down in a six by three beneath the land he knew,
And left a cross for the world to see, said, "Of his kind we've seen few."
That night for Bill they drank some wine, and Old Zack Miller he wrote these lines,
And left them there for me to find,
To put to music and sing to you.

CHORUS

@cowboy @death
filename[ BILLPCKT
JN, MR

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Thanks, Mark. Is the tune at all close to Poor Howard? It might be an idea to call and sing this one to me so I can figure it out. I'll be home most of the week.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: DT Correction: Bill Pickett (by Mark Ross)
From: Mark Ross
Date: 25 Mar 08 - 05:46 PM

It's sort of POOR HOWARD. I'll give you a call tomorrow.


Mark Ross