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."Oh, glory be to me," says he,
"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!" That lion licked his paw so brown
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."Oh, glory be to me" laughs he.
"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." 'Way high up the Mogollons
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."Oh, glory be to me," grunts he.
"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!'" Three suns had rode their circle home
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."Oh, glory be to me," sighs he.
"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." 'Way high up the Mogollons
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."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!"
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.
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