Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar (Bradford Browne)

Subject: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 12:44 PM

At music the other night a 60ish friend said that he has never been able to find a song from his elementary school days that his teacher sang to the class. He says the only part he remembers is the title.

This was in Colorado, on the plains.

I checked the 'cowboy' song threads- There are LOTS of them and it was great fun - but I don't find anything like it.

Anyone remember?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Oct 05 - 02:32 PM

Google was no help either.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Oct 05 - 01:52 AM

Thanks, Sorcha. I've tried every avenue I can think of. I just now left a message on my friend's phone asking if he remembers anything further. A scrap of a phrase, a theme, a play on words, anything. Could even be that it's not the title itself. We'll see.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 06:08 AM

wefwesh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Deckman
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 06:18 AM

Ebbie ... This is the kind of thread I enjoy the most. The depth of knowledge usually comes through in spades. bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 06:52 AM

We gotta find this one. This page (click) says the song was written by Bradford Brown or Browne, and published in 1943 by Peer International Corporation [the same Ralph Peer firm that published the work of the Carter Family, I believe].
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: maeve
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 08:43 AM

Have a look here: "Cowboy Without a Guitar" googlebooks
The book refers to Gene Autry singing it. I'll be glad to transcribe the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: maeve
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 08:59 AM

I can't get page 108 from that link, but here's a start on the lyrics:

Cowboy Without a Guitar   by Bradford Browne

One day in Wyomin' I met an old man,
For years he'd been searchin' for gold
He told me a story as strange as could be-
And this was the story he told.

I have traveled this might world over,
From Cheyenne to old Zanzibar.
(page 108 would fill this next section)

Oh, sing me a song of the West, Mister Cowboy,
Yippi I, yippy ay, git along little stray.
Oh sing me a song of the West, Mister Cowboy,
And then I'll be off on my way.

I've seen princes and kings in pajamas,
And rustlers in feather and tar,
But I'm ready to die now that I have beheld
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 09:32 AM

WorldCat.org might tell you where to find a copy of the book in a library near you.

Unfortunately, the one nearest to me is 400 miles away.

WorldCat.org also tells me that there is a copy of the sheet music for "Cowboy without a Guitar" in the Brooke Temple sheet music collection at the library of the Autry National Center of the American West in Los Angeles.

Maybe they would be willing to photocopy it for you.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: maeve
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 09:32 AM

I have emailed a request for help to one of the libraries listed as owning the book.

Meanwhile, can we find the song anywhere else- references to sheet music, songbooks containing it, online or LP recordings?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cowboy Without a Guitar
From: maeve
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 09:38 AM

Cross posted with the estimable Mr. Dixon. :)

There was no copy of the book shown near Ebbie, but I'm hoping to hear back from the library I emailed. The sheet music link is a good one. If Ebbie doesn't stop back here today I'll go ahead and email the Autry National Center on her friend's behalf.

Subject: Lyr Add: COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR (Bradford Browne)
From: maeve
Date: 22 Oct 13 - 02:07 PM

Thanks to a helpful Reference Librarian in a library far, far away:
(Transcribed from a PDF of the above excerpt)
The passage preceding the lyrics refers to Gene Autry and Bradford Browne:
"Gene likes and sings Brad's "Git Along Little Pony" best but we like his "Cowboy Without a Guitar" best."

Cowboy Without a Guitar   by Bradford Browne

One day in Wyomin' I met an old man,
For years he'd been searchin' for gold
He told me a story as strange as could be-
And this was the story he told.

I have traveled this mighty world over,
From Cheyenne to old Zanzibar.
'Twas in Texas that I saw the strangest of sights,
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.
He was riding a bucking young bronco,
Who tossed him about near and far.
I had to look twice to be sure that I saw
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.

CHORUS:

Oh, sing me a song of the West, Mister Cowboy,
Yippi I, yippy ay, git along little stray.
Oh sing me a song of the West, Mister Cowboy,
And then I'll be off on my way.
I've seen coyotes that howl in the daytime
And a monkey that smoked a a cigar,
But I ain't been the same since the day that I saw
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.

I thrill at the sight of Niag'ra
My heart jumps at each movie star,
But the one thrill I got that I'll never forget
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.
He was brandin' a steer in Montana,
In his hand was a smokin' red bar,
At first I was doubtful, but folks, there he was,
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.

CHORUS:

Oh, sing me a song of the West, Mister Cowboy,
Yippi I, yippy ay, git along little stray.
Oh sing me a song of the West, Mister Cowboy,
And then I'll be off on my way.
I've seen princes and kings in pajamas,
And rustlers in feather and tar,
But I'm ready to die now that I have beheld
A COWBOY WITHOUT A GUITAR.

Found in "How daddy became a beachcomber", by Marilyn Hedley, pg' 96-97.

Perhaps Ebbie's friend or someone else can reconstruct/locate the tune, if the sheet music doesn't emerge soon. I did alert Ebbie to this revived thread.