Subject: Oregon Trail From: GUEST,Finn McCool Date: 21 Jan 02 - 01:12 PM Dear Catters, I am looking for lyrics to and info about a song called Oregon Trail. A Google search turned up nothing about the song, but plenty about the Trail. I first heard Woody Guthrie perform it on an LP from the early 60's or late 50's. Royer's One Man Band (bluegrass) also recorded it on a private label. It starts "I been grubbin' on a little farm on a flat and windy plain". --Finn |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Art Thieme Date: 21 Jan 02 - 01:36 PM "...I'm gonna hit that Oregon Trail this comin' Fall..." I've got it here but it'll take some searching. Will get back to you. Art |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Rick Fielding Date: 21 Jan 02 - 03:13 PM If ya can wait a bit, I'm puttin' it on my next album. Always thought Woody's recording was one of the best things he ever did. Rick |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: katlaughing Date: 21 Jan 02 - 03:20 PM Here's a little bit about it: Oregon Trail |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: leprechaun Date: 21 Jan 02 - 07:17 PM Hooray for the Oregon Trail! |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Finn McCool Date: 21 Jan 02 - 08:04 PM Rick, When's your album coming out and what's it called? --Finn (now properly identified as a Mudcat member with reset cookie) |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Suffet Date: 22 Jan 02 - 06:34 AM The Oregon Trail, orginally titled Oregon Line, is one of the 26 songs Woody Guthrie wrote for the Bonneville Power Administration in 1941. You can find it in Roll On Columbia: the Coumbia River Collection, a compilation of those songs edited by Bill Murlin and published by Sing Out! in 1991. You can hear Woody sing The Oregon Trail on the CD that Sing Out! released along with the compilation, or on an old Folkways LP. Several of the songs Woody gave to the Bonneville Power Administration were ones he had recycled. Woody's earlier version is called Dry Spell On the Plains. It has the same tune and nearly the same words as The Oregon Trail, but it does not contain any reference to the Pacific Northwest. You can find Dry Spell On the Plains in The Nearly Complete Collection of Woody Guthrie Folk Songs, published by Ludlow Music in 1963. Lot's of luck trying to locate a copy! --- Steve |
Subject: Lyr Add: DRY SPELL ON THE PLAINS (Woody Guthrie) From: Joan from Wigan Date: 03 Feb 02 - 01:24 AM I have that book!: DRY SPELL ON THE PLAINS (Words and New Music Adaptation by Woody Guthrie) I was a-grubbin' on a piece of land When this dry spell hit these plains Raisin' up some crops t'pay my debts I owe That ole dry dust-cloud come a-rollin' Wife, she prayed, and our kids all bawlin' When we fought this awful dry spell on the plains CHORUS: When we fought this awful dry spell on the plains When we fought this awful dry spell on the plains Tumblin' weeds an' driftin' sands Great big blisters on my hands When we fought this awful dry spell on the plains My topsod was a-cracklin' dry All of my chickens a-cacklin' cried 'Cause this dirt an' dust kept a-chokin' in their lungs Hens all a-layin' flintrock eggs I hadta bust them with a sledge When we fought this awful dry spell on the plains Hogs an' piggies cried an' squealed The boars they rocked an' the sows all reeled 'Cause that water dried up from their waterin' place Livestock dried up one by one Turned all to a pile of bones When we fought that awful dry spell on the plains My ole hoss an' mule got boney Both got sickly, both got hungry And their bones all scattered 'round my place I walked on their bones six hours An' I never did touch a spot of ground When we fought that awful dry spell on the plains Yes, my wife got sort of ailin' She got worse as the dust kept sailin' I didn't have no money to drive her to the doctor man 'Round her bed she told us all "I'm goin' on where the dust can't find me." When we fought that awful dry spell on the plains I am at this moment listening to a tape of Tex Ritter singing "Oregon Trail", but it's a completely different song from the above. Joan |
Subject: Lyr Add: OREGON TRAIL (Woody Guthrie) From: masato sakurai Date: 03 Feb 02 - 09:23 AM OREGON TRAIL
I've been a-grubbin' on a little farm on the flat and windy plains
*I'm gonna hit that Oregon Trail this comin' fall
Well, my land is dry and crackin' and my chicken they're a-cacklin'
(*repeat)
Well, my hogs and pigs're squealin', they're rockin' and a-reelin'
Now my good ol' horse is bony, yes he's dry and hungry too
(*repeat)
Well, my wife gets sort of ailin' when that mean ol' dust is sailin'
(*repeat)
From: Woody Guthrie: Columbia River Collection (OMAGATOKI (Japan) SC-2113) & The Woody Guthrie Story (Dejavu (Italy) DVRECD 50) [The former is the Japanese edition of Rounder CD 1036.] ~Masato
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Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 03 Feb 02 - 12:51 PM In the third verse, that should be: "Ain't no water to water in the draw", not "drawer". "Drawer" makes no sense whatever in this context. If this doesn't make sense to you, look up "draw" in the dictionary.
Plus, Woody sang it "draw". I have it on a CD, plain as day. Dave OesterreichThread #43332 Message #815481 Posted By: Uncle_DaveO 31-Oct-02 - 05:08 PM Thread Name: Oregon Trail Subject: Lyr add (partial) Oregon Trail
On February 3, 2002 Masato posted a text (copied from the text with the recording, I gather) for Gonna Hit That Oregon Trail which included the following line in the fifth verse, which makes no sense at all. |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Ebbie Date: 03 Feb 02 - 02:39 PM Uncle DaveO, might the writer of 'drawer' be from the U.S. east coast? Eb |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: masato sakurai Date: 03 Feb 02 - 04:48 PM Thanks, Dave. I just copied them from the notes. ~Masato |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Genie Date: 03 Feb 02 - 10:08 PM I have sheet music for this song, fromt he liner of a Woody Guthrie album. Maybe I can scan it or copy it and send it to Jeff or to MMario, if no one else can send the tune. Genie |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: MAG Date: 04 Feb 02 - 03:39 PM Hank Cramer has recorded it, too. PS: on the pronunciation: this state is called by residents "Warshington" -- MA, beautiful bruises, love that percocet |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 Feb 02 - 04:42 PM Joan from Wigan, I remember "On the Oregon Trail" from an old horse opera, I think made in the 1930s. Prob the Ritter song on your tape. If you have the words, I would appreciate them. I tried Google, but there are so many history, etc. listings, that I gave up. Or anyone else? |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: MMario Date: 04 Feb 02 - 04:47 PM go ahead genie.... |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Joan from Wigan Date: 05 Feb 02 - 02:52 PM Dicho, I'm just on my way out to the folk club, but I'll get the words off the tape as soon as I can and post them. Joan |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Genie Date: 05 Feb 02 - 11:07 PM Will do, MMario. Genie |
Subject: Lyr Add: OREGON TRAIL (from Tex Ritter) From: Joan from Wigan Date: 06 Feb 02 - 05:00 AM Dicho, I couldn't make out all the words on the tape, but for what it's worth, here's what I could decipher (words I'm not sure of are in brackets): OREGON TRAIL (De Rose/Hill) (from the film "Oregon Trail" (1959), sung by Tex Ritter) An open range ahead, a blanket for a bed A friendly farm where lonely coyotes wail But wheels'll slowly creek (as) home sweet home they seek That's life on the Oregon Trail Wagon train a-windin' 'cross the prairie Rolling onward through the storm and gales For the land of dreams could be all (dog) seen Down the Oregon Trail Through the night the lord is in the saddle Ridin' herd beneath the moon so pale What (you norwich tray) till the break of day Down the Oregon Trail There'll be apples on each (break) in Oregon There'll be bellies filled with golden grain There'll be cattle on each range in Oregon For there'll be plenty sun and rain Hurry up, old (Pine) there, keep movin' Your faithfull little band must never fail 'Cross the Great Divide side by side we'll ride Down the Oregon Trail [instrumental break] There'll be apples on each (break) in Oregon There'll be bellies filled with golden grain There'll be cattle on each range in Oregon For there'll be plenty sun and rain Hurry up, old (Pine) there, keep movin' Your faithful little band must never fail 'Cross the Great Divide side by side we'll ride Down the Oregon Trail Down the Oregon Trail I'm sorry for the incompleteness, perhaps someone else can fill in the blanks/queries? Joan |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Joan from Wigan Date: 07 Feb 02 - 03:41 AM Dicho, is this the song you were after? And can anyone else help with the words I'm having trouble with? Joan |
Subject: Lyr Add: THE OREGON TRAIL From: masato sakurai Date: 04 May 02 - 08:26 AM Another "Oregon Trail" song.
THE OREGON TRAIL
Away down yonder in the Wahee Mountains,
On the Oregon Trail, that's where he shot 'im;
Hezekiah had a lovely daughter,
On the Oregon Trail, that's where they killed 'im.
(Source: Charles O'Brien Kennedy, A Treasury of American Ballads, Arco, 1957, pp. 67-68 [text only]; also in Kennedy, American Ballads, Fawcett Publications, 1952, 1956, p. 183) ~Masato
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Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Art Thieme Date: 04 May 02 - 11:47 AM Masato, You are pretty amazing, and I salute you! These threads are never over 'til they're over. Art Thieme |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 May 02 - 01:23 PM Joan from Wigan, thanks for the Ritter Oregon Trail. Sorry for the late thank you, but I must have been away when the thread came up on Feb 6. The one I was looking for is a remake of "Green Grow...." with the last line, "Green grow the lilacs(?) on the Oregon Trail." There were probably several used in the old oaters. Masato, is the Kennedy worth getting? The ballad about "old Zeke" I remember now, but it had slipped my mind. It was sung in Colorado-New Mexico when I was a kid. |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: masato sakurai Date: 04 May 02 - 08:52 PM Dicho, the Kennedy book (A Treasury is an enlarged hardcover) is, in my opinion, a "hotchpotch" collection (398 pages) of poems, old popular songs, folk songs and so on (not a book of ballads in the strict sense of the word). I don't think it's a must; however, there're a lot of less-known poems and songs in it. Texts only, and little info on background. ~Masato |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: Dicho (Frank Staplin) Date: 04 May 02 - 09:20 PM Thanks, Masato. Anyway, copies are cheap. |
Subject: Lyr add (partial) Oregon Trail From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 31 Oct 02 - 05:08 PM On February 3, 2002 Masato posted a text (copied from the text with the recording, I gather) for Gonna Hit That Oregon Trail which included the following line in the fifth verse, which makes no sense at all... Text of this message moved up toward the top, so it's next to Masato's Feb 3 post. |
Subject: RE: Oregon Trail From: mg Date: 31 Oct 02 - 05:42 PM Mary Benson does a rendition of a song about the Oregon trail by a Portland group... For a good song about a dust storm, Bill Gallagher of Victoria B.C...has a great one... And I am from SW Washington and I swear we don't call it Warshington in this part of the state...maybe it is a localized thing. mg |
Subject: Lyr Add: OREGON TRAIL (De Rose/Hill) From: Gerard Date: 21 Jul 03 - 01:43 PM The following is an edited version filling in some of the missing words from the previous e-Mail OREGON TRAIL (De Rose/Hill) (from the film "Oregon Trail" (1959), sung by Tex Ritter) An open range ahead, a blanket for a bed A friendly farm where lonely coyotes wail But wheels'll slowly creek (as) home sweet home they seek That's life on the Oregon Trail Wagon train a-windin' 'cross the prairie Rolling onward through the storm and gales For the land of dreams could be all (dog) seen Down the Oregon Trail Through the night the lord is in the saddle Ridin' herd beneath the moon so pale What (you norwich tray) till the break of day Down the Oregon Trail There'll be apples on each branch in Oregon There'll be bellies filled with golden grain There'll be cattle on each range in Oregon For there'll be plenty sun and rain Hurry up, old Pioneer there, keep movin' Your faithfull little band must never fail 'Cross the Great Divide side by side we'll ride Down the Oregon Trail [instrumental break] There'll be apples on each (break) in Oregon There'll be bellies filled with golden grain There'll be cattle on each range in Oregon For there'll be plenty sun and rain Hurry up, old (Pine) there, keep movin' Your faithful little band must never fail 'Cross the Great Divide side by side we'll ride Down the Oregon Trail Down the Oregon Trail |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oregon Trail From: John in Brisbane Date: 03 Nov 04 - 07:54 AM This one was writ in 1935. Regards, John |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oregon Trail From: GUEST,Steve from Austin, and pre-1968 Portland Date: 19 May 10 - 10:00 PM I see I'm over five years late - but hopefully better than never! The version I remember included these verses: Hurry up, old Pioneer, keep movin' Your faithful little band must never fail 'Cross the Great Divide, side by side we'll ride Down the Oregon Trail There'll be apples on each branch in Oregon There'll be valleys filled with golden grain There'll be cattle on each ranch in Oregon For there'll be plenty of sun and rain I think this was a version for chorus and piano, which we sang in elementary school music class, in the mid-60's. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oregon Trail From: GUEST,Cori Date: 21 Aug 19 - 07:12 PM Hey, I hope someone can help. I am looking for the song mentioned just above, which begins, "Wagon train go windin' cross the prairie." I can find the lyrics all right but only credited to Burl Ives, who may have sung the song but can't possibly have written it! This song has to be no later than 1930s, before Burl Ives was even performing. It turned up on a 1930s TCM short the other day, sung by a men's chorus dressed as cowboys, along with several other western songs. Of course I made no note of the title of the feature or the performers but they were great and I want to find it and also know who wrote and who else recorded this song! TCM does not list the short subjects shown between movies. Can anyone help? Thanks! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oregon Trail From: GUEST,Starship Date: 21 Aug 19 - 07:25 PM The Oregon Trail written by Peter de Rose and Billy Hill according to Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_of_the_West_(Burl_Ives_album) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oregon Trail From: GUEST,Cori Date: 22 Aug 19 - 02:26 AM Thanks, strange how I couldn't find that when looking earlier. https://secondhandsongs.com/work/198992/versions |
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Oregon Trail From: John C. Bunnell Date: 22 Aug 19 - 04:28 AM We had the "Songs of the West" album from Burl Ives when I was growing up, and I learned the version he sang more or less by heart. The following transcribes his version: OREGON TRAIL (De Rose/Hill - as performed by Burl Ives) Wagon train a-windin' 'cross the prairie Rollin' onward through the storm and gales Toward the land of dreams trudge the old ox teams, Down the Oregon Trail. Through the night the Lord is in the saddle, Ridin' herd beneath the moon so pale; Watchin' o-er each stray 'til the break of day; Down the Oregon Trail. There'll be apples on each branch in Oregon; There'll be valleys filled with golden grain; There'll be cattle on each ranch in Oregon, For there'll be plenty sun and rain Hurry up, old pioneer, keep movin'; Your faithful little band must never fail; 'Cross the Great Divide side by side we'll ride, Down the Oregon Trai-ai-ai-ail Down the Oregon Trail. [instrumental break] There'll be apples on each branch in Oregon; There'll be valleys filled with golden grain; There'll be cattle on each ranch in Oregon, For there'll be plenty sun and rain.... Hurry up, old pioneer, keep movin', Your faithful little band must never fail; 'Cross the Great Divide side by side we'll ride, Down the Oregon Trai-ai-ai-ail, Down the Oregon Trail! //// Listening to some of the other versions from YouTube, I get two more verses: [Girls of the Golden West] A smoke cloud in the sky, a savage drum replies, There's danger on the road to Oregon Through herds of buffalo, 'neath mountains topped with snow, That's life on the Oregon Trail. [Tex Morton] An open range ahead, a blanket for a bed, A friendly fire where lonely coyotes wail; But wheels'll slowly creak; of home sweet home they speak; That's life on the Oregon Trail. For what it's worth, I don't know where I came across it, but I'm sure that I've heard the Girls' verse from yet another source, with the last line "We sing as we're traveling on" (which makes a good deal more sense in context, although it relies on the popular error of pronouncing Oregon as "Ory-gone"). |
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