Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?

Subject: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 12 Jun 15 - 11:32 AM

This from the Roscoe Holcomb version:

Hills Of Mexico

When I was in Old Fort Worth in 18 and 83
Some old Mexican cowboy come stepping up to me
Said I'll hire you, young fella, how would you love to go
And to spend the season working in those hills of Mexico

Well having no employment back to him I did say
'Tis according to your wages, according to your pay
Said I'll pay you good wages, on a steamboat you will go
And you'll spend the season working in those hills of Mexico

Well, they sent along that old steamboat and back to home did go
How those bells started ringing, the whistles they did blow
Going back to friends and loves ones and I'll tell them not to go
To that God-forsaken country in those hills of Mexico.

I was surprised to find that this great cowboy song was not in the DT (or did I miss it?). It bears some similarities to Buffalo Skinners and is also known as Mexican Cowboy. There are a lot of fine versions out there by Bruce Molsky, Ricky Skaggs, Elizabeth LaPrelle, Willie Watson, Riley Baugus and others but my absolute favorite is a longer version by The Renegades with Carol Elizabeth Jones on vocals.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: Lighter
Date: 12 Jun 15 - 12:54 PM

Here's what I hear Holcomb singing on YouTube. A few words are inaudible to me:


When I's in Old Fort Worth in 18 and 83,
Some old Mexican cowboy come stepping up to me
Sayin' now how're you, young fella, how would you love to go?
You can spend another season on the plain of Mexico.

Lord, I have no employment back to him did say.
Said, it is 'cordin' to your wages an' 'cordin' to your pay,
Said, I'll pay to you good wages, often till you're ????
If you'll spend another season 'long with me in Mexico.

And his wages on that old steamboat we back to home go.
How the bells they did ring, the whistles they did blow.
How the bells they did ring, the whistles they did blow.
In that godforsaken part down in the hills of Mexico.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 12 Jun 15 - 02:22 PM

That is closer to what Holcomb sang on the several versions I listened to, Ligthter.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: Lighter
Date: 12 Jun 15 - 02:38 PM

Thanks. One or two words (like "part down") may still be off.

Typo: "home did go."

The line doesn't make much sense, but that's what he seems to be singing.

Possibly he learned the song garbled (several stanzas are missing in comparison with its model, "The Range of the Buffalo.") Or he may simply have forgotten the words.

Great trad performance though.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 12 Jun 15 - 03:08 PM

Here's The Ricky Skaggs/ Bruce Hornsby version lyrics:

HILLS OF MEXICO

    When I's in old Fort Worth in eighteen and eighty-three
    Saw a Mexican cowboy come ridin' up to me
    Sayin' how are you, young fellow, how would you like to go
    And spend another summer in the hills of Mexico?

    Well, I had no appointment back to him I did say
    It's accordin' to your wages, accordin' to your pay
    I will pay to you good wages and often, too, you know
    If you'll spend another season in the hills of Mexico

    Now with all this flatterin' talkin' he signed up quite a train
    Some ten or twelve in number, some able bodied men
    And our trip it was pleasant as we hit the western road
    Till we crossed the old Peace River to those hills of Mexico

    It was there our pleasures ended and our troubles all begun
    Was a lightening storm that hit us and made the cattle run
    And we all got full of stickers from the cactus that did grow
    And the outlaws there to rob us in those hills of Mexico

    Well, they sent along that old steamboat and back to home did go
    How those bells started ringing, the whistles they did blow
    Going back to friends and loves ones and I'll tell them not to go
    To that God-forsaken country in those hills of Mexico

And Willie Watson performing Mexican Cowboy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: GUEST,gillymor
Date: 27 Jun 15 - 09:44 AM

Hey Joe Offer, what is the procedure for getting a song, this song, installed in the DT?

---

Just post it in the Forum. Dick and Susan, curators of the Digital Tradition, choose additions from the songs posted in the Forum. More here (click)
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: Amos
Date: 27 Jun 15 - 12:53 PM

Fascinating that whole sections of this song are straight lifts from "The Buffalo Skinners", where Mexico is only mentioned in passing as a layby for outlaws. Or, is it the other way 'round? (Just because I learned Buffalo Skinners first does not mean it is the actual provenance of those floating couplets!) An opportunity for scholarship!

Subject: Lyr Add: HILLS OF MEXICO (Roscoe Holcomb)
From: banjoonthelump
Date: 29 Aug 17 - 11:22 AM

Hills of Mexico
by Roscoe Holcomb

When I'zzzzzz in old Fort Worth
in 18 and 83
Some ol' Mexican cowboy
come steppin' up to me
Sayin' I'll hire you young feller
How would you love to go
and to spend another season
with me in Mexico?

Lord, I had no employment
back to him did say
Tis' 'cordin' to your wages
and 'cordin' to your pay
Say I will pay to you good wages
often, till you're home
If you'll spend another season
with me in Mexico

(break)

And they sent an'on that old steamboat
and back to home did go
How the bells it did ring
the whistles they did blow
How the bells it did ring
the whistles they did blow
In a God forsaken part
fer from those hills of Mexico

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Aug 17 - 03:49 PM

Here's the Roscoe Holcomb recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi7nxuQZnJ8

Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncWVa3da6jM

Bruce Molsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwADChpHyW4

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: Hrothgar
Date: 30 Aug 17 - 04:18 AM

Looks as though it is a close relation to "The Range of the Buffalo"

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: gillymor
Date: 30 Aug 17 - 07:15 AM

A lot of folks think it's similar to "Buffalo Skinners" but I sing both songs and I don't hear it. They share a few lyrics but the melodies are distinctly different.


The Renegades, long since disbanded, did my favorite version with Carol Elizabeth Jones on vocals and James Leva on fiddle.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: gillymor
Date: 30 Aug 17 - 08:04 AM

Mexican Cowboy- Willie Watson

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: John Minear
Date: 30 Aug 17 - 11:07 AM

Check out "Hills of Mexico" by Polecat Creek (Laurelyn Dossett & Kari Sickenberger) on their album "Ordinary Seasons".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0P6oXls0Ss&index=5&list=PLDV3iPXCQ9ViVqzC2JpMnTjJ-9n95i0hc

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: gillymor
Date: 30 Aug 17 - 11:28 AM

Listening to that excellent Polecat Creek version linked above (Riley Baugus on banjo, I assume) I noticed this interesting take on it:

Meredith Moon

She throws in a verse you usually hear in Diamond Joe.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jan 18 - 01:15 AM

Anyone happen to have the tab for this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: gillymor
Date: 28 Jan 18 - 06:00 AM

Here's banjo tab from the Banjo Hangout in PDF or TablEdit:


Hills of Mexico

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: cnd
Date: 10 May 21 - 10:09 AM

I recently got on somewhat of a tangent looking into this song. A modern singer, Willie Watson, has a great version of this song he titles "Mexican Cowboy" (click), referenced by gillymor above. As best as I can find, the CD has no liner notes to indicate where his version comes from; I'll post the lyrics below for comparison.

I started this distraction because I was listening to Sam Bush's "Diamond Joe" (listen). His version is mostly similar to the Bob Dylan-styled version in the DT here. Now, what struck me is that both versions have the line about a string of horses so old they couldn't stand. Diamond Joe is, as far as I've found, the only other song which uses that line, meaning Watson's version is really an amalgam of Diamond Joe and Hills of Mexico.

Additionally, several versions of Diamond Joe have been linked to The State of Arkansas, most directly through melody and the line about corn dodgers (more via Richie's BluegrassMessengers site). That means that we've got a sort of triumvirate of connected songs here, all interrelated though distinct. I just found that kind of interesting. Watson's version is not as clearly linked to State of Arkansas, though it is reminiscent.

Here are the lyrics to Watson's version as copied from the "Genius" lyrics website with a few modifications for readability by me:

Swinging in to old Fort Worth in 1883
Some old Mexican cowboy come steppin' up to me
Sayin' "How are you young fella? When would you like to go
And spend another season with me in Mexico?"

I had no employment, back to him did say
"It's according to your wages, according to your pay"
Said "I'll pay you good wages and often, too, you now
If you spend another season with me in Mexico"

I went up to this cowboy, I offered him my hand
But he gave a string of horses so old they couldn't stand
And I nearly starved to death boys, I mean to let you know
And I never saw a dollar in those hills of Mexico

I got up on that steamboat and back to home did go
How th?m bells, they did ring, those whistl?s did blow
How them bells, they did ring, those whistles did blow
On that godforsaken fortune 'neath those hills of Mexico

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: gillymor
Date: 10 May 21 - 11:49 AM

Willie seems to have grafted a bit of Diamond Joe onto it and I think it works well.

The last verse of H.o.M. in the Renegades' version mentions Arkansas:

Well I drew my last wages and northward I did go,
Rolling cross the Rio Grand(ee) and made for Arkansas,
When I reached my destination there was no one I did know,
It was almost bleak and barren as those hills of Mexico.
(that's the way I hear the words)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: cnd
Date: 19 May 22 - 12:03 PM

I had the chance to speak to Willie about his version of the song recently, and he explained that he just combined the songs because they shared the same tune and the version he based his on (Roscoe Holcomb, I think he said) needed another verse.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: Lighter
Date: 20 May 22 - 10:04 AM

W. P. Webb writes in Publications of the Texas Folklore Society II, (1923), p. 44:

"The following [song was] obtained from a man who lives at Uvalde. He had been a cowboy, but as ranching has about passed out, he has turned his attention to the moving picture business instead. He had in his possession a home talent production of wild west life produced by himself in the rough mountainous country of Uvalde, which he carried from town to town in automobile [sic] and showed for one or two nights at local theaters.

                         BOGGUS CREEK

As I rode in the town of Fort Griffin in the spring of '83
An old Texas cowman came riding up to me,
Saying, "How do you do, young fellow, and how would you like to go
And spend one summer season in the hills of Mexico?"

"It's being out of employment," to the drover I did say,
"For me to go to New Mexico depends upon the pay,
But if you pay good wages and transportation too,
I wouldn't mind to go along and spend a month or two."

"Oh, yes, we pay good wages, free transportation too,
But if you grow homesick, Fort Griffin bound to go,
I'll never loan you a horse to ride from the hills of Mexico."

"O listen to that old driver's talk, O listen what a gag."
It's ten or twenty cowboys, all stout able-bodied men,
Our trip it was a pleasant one
Until we reached old Boggus Creek out in old Mexico.

Now our pleasures have all ended and our troubles have begun
The first hail storm we had on us, Gosh, how those cattle run.
They run through thorns and thickets, our lives we had no show,
For there's no worse hell on earth than the hills of Mexico.

Go home to wives and sweethearts, tell others not to go
To the God-forsaken country of old New Mexico.


Fuller than Holcomb's text, but still missing words.

Juergen Kloss has a splendid essay in the whole "Buffalo Skinners" family here. (Highly recommended):


https://justanothertune.com/html/buffaloskinners.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: gillymor
Date: 22 May 22 - 03:18 PM

I found a clawhammer tab pdf onYoutube (click link below video) by Charlie Marks with instruction. It's somewhat similar to the Willie Watson version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 23 - 08:57 PM

The Lonesome Ace Stringband is my favorite, love to get the lyrics of their version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Hills of Mexico - anyone got tab?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Oct 23 - 08:57 PM

The Lonesome Ace Stringband is my favorite, love to get the lyrics of their version.