Subject: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL / HIGH-CHIN BOB (Clark) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 27 Feb 04 - 02:03 PM No one seems to have posted the original of "The Glory Trail" aka "High-Chin Bob" by Badger Clark. Most of the discussion is in threads with other names. Katlaughing reproduces the story from "Sun and Saddle Leather" by Clark: Tyin' Knots The lyrics in the DT are 'folk-processed' as stated, and the midi sounds different from the original tune by Billy Simon. THE GLORY TRAIL (High-Chin Bob) Badger Clark 'Way high up the Mogollons, Among the mountain tops, A lion cleaned a yearlin's bones And licked his thankful chops, When on the picture who should ride, A-trippin' down a slope, But High-Chin Bob, with sinful pride And mav'rick hungry rope.
"And fame's unfadin' flowers! All meddlin' hands are far away; I ride my good top-hawse today And I'm top-rope of the Lazy J— Hi! kitty cat, you're ours!" And dreamed soft dreams of veal— And then the circlin' loop sung down And roped him 'round his meal. He yowled quick fury to the world Till all the hills yelled back; The top-hawse gave a snort and whirled And Bob caught up the slack.
"We hit the glory trail. No human man as I have read Darst loop a ragin' lion's head, Nor ever hawse could drag one dead Until we told the tale." That top-hawse done his best, Through whippin' brush and rattlin' stones, From canyon-floor to crest. But ever when Bob turned and hoped A limp remains to find, A red-eyed lion, belly roped But healthy, loped behind.
"This glory trail is rough, Yet even till the Judgment Morn I'll keep this dally 'round the horn, For never any hero born Could stoop to holler: ''Nuff!'" Beyond the desert's rim, And turned their star-herds loose to roam The ranges high and dim; Yet up and down and 'round and 'cross Bob pounded, weak and wan, For pride still glued him to his hawse And glory drove him on.
"He kain't be drug to death, But now I know beyond a doubt Them heroes I have read about Was only fools that stuck it out To end of mortal breath." A prospect man did swear That moon dreams melted down his bones And hoisted up his hair: A ribby cow-hawse thundered by, A lion trailed along, A rider, ga'nt but chin on high, Yelled out a crazy song.
"And to my noble noose! Oh, stranger, tell my pards below I took a rampin' dream in tow, And if I never lay him low, I'll never turn him loose!" Missing line inserted.--JoeClone, 25-Nov-2008. The original title is a better expression of the pride and quest for glory, which is the subject of the song. From Badger Clark, "Sun and Saddle Leather," 1915 (and later); pp. 77-80 of the 1952 edition by Chapman and Grimes, which includes "Grass Grown Trails" and "New Poems." Sheet music by Billy Simon reproduced in Katie Lee, 1976, "Ten Thousand Goddam Cattle," Northland Press, pp. 200-201. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Amos Date: 27 Feb 04 - 03:06 PM Thanks, Q! This has become one of my favorites of late -- learned from the singing of Margaret MacArthur . Your last verse seems to be missing a line compared in structure to the verses that precede it. The wording as I learned it has the same line count in each verse--the last one is: "Oh, glory be to me!" cries he, "And to my noble noose! Oh, stranger, tell my pards below I took a rampin' dream in tow, An' if I never laid it low, well, I never turned it loose!" Dunno if Badger wrote it that way or not. Regards, A |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 27 Feb 04 - 03:48 PM Dang, Amos, I did leave out a line. Oh, glory be to me!" cries he, "And to my noble noose! Oh, stranger, tell my pards below I took a rampin' dream in tow, And if I never lay him low, I'll never turn him loose!" |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: katlaughing Date: 27 Feb 04 - 04:40 PM Thanks, Q. I meant to start one for it, but the grandson had other ideas for my time this morning.:-) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Walking Eagle Date: 28 Feb 04 - 01:40 AM This song appears on Margaret MacArthurs' THEM STARS CD. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Feb 04 - 01:44 PM I mentioned Billy Simon's music for this poem, the first attached to it. Glenn Ohrlin, who recorded his version, also wrote a tune for it, using the name "High Chin Bob." Sheet music for his tune is reproduced in his book, "The Hell-Bound Train," # 49, "High Chin Bob," pp. 120-122. The song also was recorded by George Gillespie, Merrick Jarrett, and Nevada Slim. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Feb 04 - 11:29 PM 760,000 acres of the Gila National Forest, covering the Mogollon Mts. and adjacent areas, is classified as wilderness preserve, restricted access, horseback and foot only. Let's hope it stays that way. Many animals and birds, including the mountain lion, are protected there. The Mogollon wolf, a distinct subspecies, became extinct in 1935, before protection could be given. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Feb 04 - 11:32 PM The Gila Forest link was amputated from my post. ?Not the first time something has disappeared. Gila National Forest website: |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: katlaughing Date: 28 Feb 04 - 11:33 PM Here's a great photo of them: click here. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 28 Feb 04 - 11:36 PM ?? http://www.geronimotrail.com/gila_national_forest.html. Eaten again!! OK, there was a mistake, but something should have appeared. Any idea why? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Amos Date: 29 Feb 04 - 11:09 AM Q's link to the Geronimo Trail. Regards, A |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Walking Eagle Date: 29 Feb 04 - 10:11 PM Q, we Tsalagis believe that when an animal goes extinct, the earth stands still in honor of the passing. WeSa(:~>), great link! |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: Amos Date: 01 Mar 04 - 10:39 AM More on the Mogollons here. A |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: THE GLORY TRAIL (High-chin Bob) From: open mike Date: 13 Aug 06 - 02:26 AM this is great--in the tradition of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan larger than life! |
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