Lyr Req: Cowboy's Wife (Billie Maxwell)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy's Wife (Billie Maxwell)
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 20 Dec 18 - 09:30 PM

Hi Jim

Thank you very much!

Best

Martin

Subject: Lyr Add: COWBOY'S WIFE (Billie Maxwell)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 02 Dec 18 - 09:38 PM

I got most of it, but there are a few phrases I can’t get

From the recording found at YouTube.


COWBOY’S WIFE
As recorded by Billie Maxwell, 1929.

Standing alone in the doorway, through the twilight straining my eyes,
Listening to hear the sharp hoof-beats when my cowboy comes from the drive.
Far away toward the northward, a coyote starts his refrain,
His brother joins in the chorus and they sing it again and again.

At last they are quiet, and somewhere I hear a horse ...(?).
I know that my cowboy is coming, so I hurriedly turn away
And fix up the fire in the cook-stove for the fire-door biscuits to bake,
Stir up the boiling frijoles* and ... them for a steak.

Then with the hem of my apron wipe a smudge of flour from my nose,
And back at my post to greet him, that man in the … western clothes.
I hear a thump of his saddle as he throws it off on the ground.
Then his horse gives himself a good shaking; I can readily place every sound.

At last I hear footsteps approaching and I almost hold my breath,
For in my heart I am hoping that he’ll notice my new jean dress.
He comes but his eyes wander past me as he greets me with a kiss at the door,
And I know that he’s wanting his supper, for I’ve been through the whole thing before.

So I place that hot supper before him; oh, yes, I shall surely do my part
As I swallow my own disappointment, for I know that’s the way to his heart.

- - -
* Frijoles = Spanish for beans. (A lot of cowboy jargon comes from Spanish.)

An article in the Phoenix New Times gives some background information here.

Subject: Lyr Req: Cowboy's Wife - Billie Maxwell
From: GUEST,Martin
Date: 02 Dec 18 - 02:39 PM

Hi

I search everywhere... English is not my native language and those old 78 rpm can be difficult to understand. I tried to transcribe the lyrics of the song Cowboy's Wife form Billie Maxwell recorded in 1929 in El Paso. If anyone can help me, i would be very grateful. You can find the song on Youtube.


Cowboy’s Wife

Standing alone in the door way
Thru the twilight      eyes
Listening
When my cowboy comes from the


Far away to
A coyote started this refrain
His brother join him in
And they singing again and again

At last         somewhere
I hear



I know that my cowboy is coming
So I                turn away


And fix up the fire
        biscuit to bake


Then    apron
smudge        nose
And back at my post to greet him
That man in         western cloths

I hear
        on the ground

I can                         sound

At last, I hear his foot steps approching
And I almost hold my breath
For in my heart I am hoping
That he'll notice my new jean dress

He comes, but his eyes wander past me
As he greets me with a kiss at the door
And I know that he's wanting his supper
For I've been through the whole thing before,

So I place the hot supper before him
Oh, yes, I shall surely do my part
As I swallow my own disappointment
For I know that's the way to his heart