Origin: Yellow Bandana / Yellow Bandanna

Subject: Yellow Bandana
From: Louie Roy
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 10:50 AM

Help settle an argument.Who is the original artist on this song?I have it by Merle Haggard and Faron Young about the same date.Maybe it was traditional.Louie Roy

Subject: RE: Help: Yellow Bandana
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:32 AM

Should be spelled "bandanna" (Anglo-Indian origin, so spelled by Thackeray, too).

Wilfried

Subject: RE: Help: Yellow Bandana
From: Louie Roy
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:16 PM

According to the tapes I have Bandana is spelled with only one "N" However according to my 1949 Webster Unabridged dictionary it can be spelled either way.Anyway I wasn't asking for help on the spelling I was asking for help on who was the originator.Thanks for the input.Louie Roy

Subject: RE: Help: Yellow Bandana
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Sep 02 - 11:31 PM

The only reference to author I can find is to Faron Young. It is "Bandana" on his tape-recording. Young's lyrics and chords in Cowpie. Cowpie

Subject: ADDPOP: Yellow Bandana
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 03:13 AM

I guess it might be a good idea to post the Cowpie transcription, so everybody can see what we're talking about.
BMI lists a song called "Yellow Bandana" by Al Gorgoni, Steve Karliski, and Larry Kolber - but I can't be sure that's the same song (probably is).
-Joe Offer-

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THE YELLOW BANDANA
Recorded by: Faron Young

INTRO: SPOKEN/STRUM:
[D] This is the [A7] story of a yellow ban-[D]-dana
A [Bm] handsome young [Em7] soldier and a [A7] girl named Rose-[D]-anna

[D] Away out west in the wilds of New [A7] Mexico
There lived a girl and a soldier who [D] loved her so
And ev'ry night 'neath the full crimson [A7] moon above
This brave young soldier would pledge her his [D] love; and-

CHORUS: [D] He gave Rose-[Em]-anna his [A7] yellow ban-[D]-dana
To [Bm] wear in her [Em] hair till he's [A7] with her once [D] more
He gave Rose-[Em]-anna his [A7] yellow ban-[D]-dana
[Bm] Mounted his [Em] pony and [A7] rode off to [D] war

His orders came and he had to ride west again
Seems that Apaches were causing unrest again
He kissed Roseanna goodbye as he rode away
Promising this time he'd come back to stay; and- CHORUS

The war was over and he came back home and found
That the Apaches had burned the whole village down
And 'neath the tree where he last kissed Roseanna
Draped on a cross was his yellow bandana; CHORUS

TAG: He gave Roseanna his yellow bandana
To wear in her hair till he's with her once more.
FADE: He gave Roseanna his yellow bandana

Subject: RE: Help: Yellow Bandana
From: RangerSteve
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 07:52 AM

Faron Young was definately the first to record it. I remember hearing his record on the radio long before Merle Haggard started his career.

Subject: RE: Help: Yellow Bandana
From: Louie Roy
Date: 26 Sep 02 - 11:53 AM

Thanks for all of your help on this tune.Both of the tapes I have were bought in the early 1970s.On Merle Haggard's web page it lists this as his song and on Faron Young's web page it lists this as his song and they are identical that's why I thought it might be traditional.Louie Roy