Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Stacey
Date: 30 Aug 21 - 07:49 AM

Link to song:
https://www.reverbnation.com/sourdoughslimrobertarmstrong/song/10602204-take-my-boots-off-when-i-die

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 12 - 01:32 AM

David Smith Australia. Yes I'm trying to find a recording for family reasons, my late elder brother used to play it on the old wind up gramaphone I want send it in a collection to my nephew

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 04:17 PM

My Dad used to sing

I went a cattle punching, to earn an honest pay
The Bosses pretty Daughter, she stole my heart away
Then one night, the lights were on, I saw her go to bed
Her leg came off, her teeth came out, the curls come from her head.

Take my boots off when I die, when I die

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,999
Date: 07 Jan 12 - 01:35 PM

Note: The title of the song done by the Hill Billies is "Take Ma Boots Off When Ah Dies". The 1934 date is from the Youtube page I just linked to. The Regal Zonophone label was started in 1932 according to a Wikipedia article.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,999
Date: 07 Jan 12 - 01:17 PM

The 78 record by the Hill Billies is shown and it's fairly easy to read. Recorded in 1934.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=y5jesZ7kemM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jan 12 - 01:07 PM

I inherited a 78rpm record of Take My Boots Off When I Die, by the Hillbillies 'with novel accompaniment' and Ole Faithful on the other side. I dont know whether they were classed as A side and B side back then.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Ian H.Thain, Oxfordshire, UK.
Date: 23 Apr 11 - 11:01 AM

My father had a 78 record of this song back in the forties. It was the B side of the record; on the A side was "Old Faithful".

The tune was a variant of "Tavern in the Town", but with differences.
To the best of my recollection the lyrics were as follows:-

"I've been a no-good cowboy, I joined an outlaw band.
I shot my way from Texas down to the Rio Grande.
The ladies hearts were broken, the banks were broken too
But now I'm through with all that and my outlaw days are through."

CHORUS :
"Take ma boots off when I die,
Take my boots off when I die.
When I'm happy on my wings        
(or could have been "When they hand me out my wings")
I won't need them heavy things,
So take my boots off when I die."

CHORUS: Take ma boots off when I die...

"I shot a guy in Dallas for beating up his wife.
Signor he took one look at me and said "I'll give you life."
But they found out the guy I killed was a wanted killer too.
Instead of life I got his wife, and 16 kiddies too."

CHORUS: "Take my boots off....etc."

I once sat in a poker game out on the Rio Grande,
With two gun Buck and one eyed Jack and killer Dapper Dan;
Each time I called, they pulled their guns, I heard their angels sing;
I threw my aces in and said I haven't gotta thing.

CHORUS: "Take my boots off....etc."

I'll be happy to record it solo with a guitar if wanted, but the original had a small band backing the soloist, with fiddle player etc. The fiddle playing was good.

If anybody has a copy of this record and can make an MP3 of it, I for one would be very grateful

IHT
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Apr 11 - 12:40 PM

Here's a quote from a intriguingly titled book, Death Discs: An Account of Fatality in the Popular Song by Alan Clayson (London: Sanctuary, 1997), page 40:

Aptly plagiarising the melody of 'There's a Tavern in the Town', 'Take Ma Boots Off When I Die', a risqué western swing novelty by Robison's backing Hill Billies, had a fornicating poker player who'd "shot my way from Texas to Rio Grande" assuming that he'd be in the clear before the Lord ("when they hand me out my wings") as, to balance his sins, he'd inherited the widow and sixteen children of a wife beater and wanted killer that he'd gunned down.

*
A periodical called Old Time Music, issue 14, 1974, lists a record by The Hill Billies called OLE FAITHFUL/TAKE MA BOOTS OFF WHEN AH DIES.

*
Finally, the US Catalog of Copyright Entries lists:

TAKE MAH BOOTS OFF WHEN AH DIES; words and music by Michael Carr and Hamilton Kennedy; with ukulele arr. © Sept. 24. 1934; E for. 36377; Irwin Dash Music Co., Ltd., London. 20933

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,guest giro
Date: 12 Apr 11 - 01:48 PM

the song was first recorded by the hill billies i bought the seventy eight record on ebay two weeks ago.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Richard1954
Date: 13 Sep 10 - 05:22 AM

I have a tape of an old 78rpm record that dated from pre1950s I've no longer got the record so can't say who recorded it - but it was recorded 1940/50s time - lyrics as above

Subject: ADD: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Aug 09 - 10:51 PM

Sourdough Slim must live here in Northern California somewhere, since he performs a lot in this area. I've always enjoyed his performances. His accordion sounds great with cowboy songs - turns every song into a polka. Here's what I hear on the YouTube video of his recording.
-Joe-

TAKE MY BOOTS OFF WHEN I DIE
Songwriter: ?
Tune: There Is a Tavern in the Town

Well, I've been a roving gambler, an outlaw, and a thief.
I shot my way through the gold fields to the town of San Joaquin.
A lady's heart's a-broken, a bank's a-broken, too;
And now I'm going to change my ways - my outlaw days are through.

CHORUS
Oh, take my boots off when I die,
Take my boots off when I die.
When they hand me down my wings
I won't need them heavy things
So, take my boots off when I die.


I shot a guy in Reno for beating on his wife.
The judge he took one look at me, and said "I'll give you life."
Well, they found out the guy I killed was a wanted killer too.
Instead of life, I got his wife; I got the bounty, too."

CHORUS: "Oh take my boots off....etc."

I once sat in a poker game to play the gold I panned,
With Two-Gun Smith and One-Eyed Buck and Killer Dapper Dan;
Each time I called, they pulled their guns, and I heard the angels sing.
I threw my aces in and said I haven't got a thing.

CHORUS: "Oh take my boots off....etc."


Transcribed by ear from a recording by Sourdough Slim.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Aug 09 - 11:56 PM

In Sourdough Slim's video, he claims to have written TAKE MY BOOTS OFF WHEN I DIE. However, I can't tell whether he means us to take him seriously; he plays the line for laughs.

His web site says TAKE MY BOOTS OFF WHEN I DIE is on his album "Rock & Rye." It doesn't say who wrote it.

The tune of the chorus (as Sourdough Slim sings it) resembles THERE IS A TAVERN IN THE TOWN. The verse is mostly recited rather than sung.

Steve Bloomfield recorded TAKE MY BOOTS OFF on his album "Rockabilly Originals", 1978.

I can't find any evidence that anyone else recorded it (let alone Wilf Carter).

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Jim Dixon, at the Webster, WI library
Date: 18 Aug 09 - 06:57 PM

Sourdough Slim sings TAKE MY BOOTS OFF in this video at YouTube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Aug 09 - 05:32 PM

i once sat in a poker game out on the rio grande
two gun buck and one eyed jack and killer dapper dan
each time i called they pulled their guns and i heard the angels sing
i threw my aces in and said i aint gotta thing

take my ......

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Margaret Brownlie
Date: 16 Sep 08 - 12:32 AM

Thanks Jim
I have been looking for this song for years, and my Dad used to sing it to us all the time back in the 60s and 70s. Do you know the chords? I'm not all that savvy with working them out myself.

Subject: Lyr Add: TAKE MY BOOTS OFF WHEN I DIE (Wilf Carter
From: GUEST,Jim Long
Date: 09 Feb 07 - 02:51 PM

My Dad used to sing this song many years ago, usually after a pint or three.
The odd word or two might vary, but this is very close to the original
version.
I believe that it was recorded in the 1930s by Wilf Carter (aka Montana Slim)

Take My Boots Off When I Die

CHORUS : "Oh take my boots off when I die, when I die.
Take my boots off when I die.
When they hand me out my wings
I won't need those heavy things
So, take my boots off when I die."

"Oh! I've been a no-good cowboy, and I joined an outlaw band.
I shot my way from Texas down to the Rio Grande.
The ladies hearts were broken, and the banks were broken too
But now I'm through with all of that - my outlaw days are through."

CHORUS: "So take my boots off....etc."

"Well, I shot a guy in Dallas for beating up his wife.
The judge he took one look at me, and said "I'll give you life."
But it all turned out that the guy I shot was a wanted killer too.
Instead of life, I got his wife, and 15 kiddies too."

CHORUS: "Oh take my boots off....etc."

Hope that this is of some use to you.......Jim Long

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: CapriUni
Date: 22 Oct 02 - 05:46 AM

Don't know the answer, but I'll refresh, so that it will go back to the top of the line...

Subject: Lyr Req: Take My Boots Off When I Die
From: GUEST,Cookie
Date: 21 Oct 02 - 05:54 AM

Has anyone heard of "Take My Boots Off When I Die" or who the artist
is? I can't seem to find anything on it. Any help would be greatly
appreicated.

Thanks