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Origins: Colorado Trail
DigiTrad:
COLORADO TRAIL
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Subject: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Barry Finn Date: 17 Jun 06 - 04:19 PM Here's what I have from the CD note from Skip Gorman's Lonesome Prairie Love. Now I love this version & Skip says the last verse is his & the 1st 2nd (2nd now used as a chorus) were the original written (words & tune) by James A Bliss (in 1923 as the "Cowboy Song") which is how it appears in Sandburg's American Songbag whom he collected from Dr T.L. Chapman who in turn remember it from a broken wrangler he treated. Skip also states the tune was in a minor key. I've also seen it said that Lee Hays may have written 2 verses, I don't know if he did & if so if any of his verses are what I have here. There's a possibility that Debussy & Gershwin had something to do with it's popular tune. Anyone have anything to add, correct or comment on? COLORADO TRAIL (words & music by James A Bliss) Eyes like a morning star Cheeks like a rose; Laura was a pretty girl God almighty knows; Chorus: Weep all you falling rains, Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. additional verses: Ride, through the lonely night Ride through the day, Keep the herd a-movin' on Movin' on its way. Ride through stormy night Dark is the sky, Wish I'd stayed in Abilene Were it's mighty and warm and dry. Face like a prairie flower Laughing all the day Laura was pretty girl Now she's gone away My aching heart is broke full sore Pinto never fail Laura was a pretty girl Cut down in the gale Thanks to all Barry |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Joe Offer Date: 17 Jun 06 - 04:36 PM Hi, Barry - The Digital Tradition has the one verse and chorus that Sandburg provides, plus what appear to be a couple of verses from Lee Hays. Can't tell where the DT tune comes from - it's not exactly what Sandburg has, but it's reasonably close. The entry from the Traditional Ballad Index might be a good place to start from: Colorado Trail, TheDESCRIPTION: "Eyes like the morning star, Cheeks like a rose, Laura was a pretty girl, God almighty knows. Weep, all ye little rains, Wail, winds, wail, All along, along, along The Colorado trail."AUTHOR: unknown EARLIEST DATE: 1927 (Sandburg) KEYWORDS: love beauty nonballad FOUND IN: US(MW) REFERENCES (6 citations): Sandburg, p. 462, "The Colorado Trail" (1 text, 1 tune) Tinsley, pp. 46-49, "The Colorado Trail" (1 text, 1 tune, including non-traditional lyrics) Scott-BoA, p. 262, "The Colorado Trail" (1 text, 1 tune) Lomax-FSNA 211, "Colorado Trail" (1 text, 1 tune) Silber-FSWB, p. 45, "The Colorado Trail" (1 text) DT, COLORADT* Roud #6695 RECORDINGS: Poplin Family, "Eyes Like Cherries" (on Poplin01, mixing verses of "The Colorado Trail," "Liza Up in a Simmon Tree," and others) Pete Seeger, "Colorado Trail" (on PeteSeeger30) NOTES: Lee Hays added several verses to this beautiful little tune, and many singers have recorded them, or added others of their own. The only traditional lyrics, however, are those given above, taken from a horse wrangler who was hospitalized in Duluth, Minnesota and printed by Sandburg. And even those were slightly dubious until confirmed by the Poplin recording. - RBW The Poplin recording has a chorus which is almost identical to the verse of "Colorado Trail," and to a verse from Bradley Kincaid's recording of "Liza Up in a Simmon Tree." The rest of the song, however, is completely different; I put it here because I couldn't find a better place. - PJS Last updated in version 3.1 File: San462 Go to the Ballad Search form Go to the Ballad Index Instructions The Ballad Index Copyright 2014 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. Alan Lomax, The Folk Songs of North America (1960), uses the Sandburg lyrics, so nothing new there. Silber uses those same two Sandburg verses in Folksinger's Wordbook, but calls the pretty girl "Annie." The song isn't in either of my two Weavers songbooks, so I can't help with the Lee Hays angle. I don't have the Scott book. |
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Subject: ADD Version: Along the Colorado Trail (Weavers) From: Joe Offer Date: 17 Jun 06 - 05:43 PM Along the Colorado Trail (transcribed by ear from the recording made by The Weavers, October 24, 1950) Weep all ye little rains, Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Eyes like the morning star Cheeks like the rose; Laura was a pretty girl Everybody knows;
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Laura was a laughing girl, Joyful in the day; Laura was my darling girl, Now she's gone away.
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Sixteen years she graced the earth, And all life was good; Now my life lies buried Beneath a cross of wood.
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. The Weavers made another recording of "Along the Colorado Trail" May 9, 1951. Same lyrics, but more orchestration. I didn't find any other Weavers recordings of this song. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 17 Jun 06 - 07:38 PM These verses remind me of- Sweetest li'l feller Ev'rybody knows; Dunno what to call him, But he mighty lak' a rose. ----------------- Eyes like a morning star Cheeks like a rose Laura was a pretty girl God almighty knows. First verse from "Mighty Lak' a Rose," 1. Frank L. Stanton, text, Ethelbert Nevin, music. John Church Co., 1901. Second verse from "Colorado Trail." Resemblance coincidental (I think). |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Peace Date: 17 Jun 06 - 10:48 PM Colorado Trail A beautiful cowboy love song. All sources point to a cowboy from Duluth, MN whose name is unknown. He was brought to the hospital after being thrown and trampled by what he called "a terribly bad hoss." A surgeon, Dr. T.L. Chapman, treated the wrangler for "bones of both upper and lower legs broken, fractures of the collar bone on both sides, numerous fractures of both arms and wrists, and many scars from lacerations." As the unknown cowboy convalesced and his strength returned, he sang across the hospital ward in a mellowed tenor voice, and the other patients always called for more. One of the songs he sang was Colorado Trail. Dr. Chapman later remembered the tune to poet and folk singer Carl Sandburg, who included it in his collection The American Songbag. Source: The American Songbag, by Carl Sandburg. Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich. Recordings on file by: Cisco Houston, Faith Petric, The Weavers. from www.oldtownschool.org/resources/ songnotes/songnotes_C.html |
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Subject: ADD: Colorado Trail (Faith Petric version) From: Joe Offer Date: 18 Jun 06 - 12:44 AM I've had Faith Petric's CD for a long time, but hadn't really noticed her recording of this song. It's a good one. Along the Colorado Trail (from the CD booklet from Faith's Favorites, by Faith Petric) Eyes like the morning star Cheeks like the rose; Laura was a pretty girl Everybody knows;
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Laura was a laughing girl, Joyful in the day; Laura was a darling girl, Now she's gone away.
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Sixteen years she graced the earth, And all life was good; Now all life is buried Beneath a cross of wood.
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Ride all the lonely night, Ride all the day, Keep the herd a-movin' on, Movin' on its way.
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Wind's comin' down the gulch, Night birds cry alarm, Wish I'd stayed in Abilene, Nice and dry and warm.
Wail, winds, wail All along, along along The Colorado trail. Traditional, collected by Carl Sandburg with additional words by Lee Hays and Faith Petric (looks like the last two verses are Faith's) |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Barry Finn Date: 18 Jun 06 - 11:44 AM Still looking for the James Bliss original (or maybe that's all there is), maybe I'll have to wait for when Skip Gorman comes local & see him with the kids. They've both seen him when they were young & really liked him, I used to sing them to sleep with someof the same songs he does & I guess they liked hearing songs that were being performed thyt they aready liked & knew. Thanks all for prying about. Barry |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,VRDPKR Date: 18 Jun 06 - 09:32 PM There is a beautiful history/story about this song in "He Was Singing' This Song" by Jim Bob Tinsley. Just set up a web page at harpytrails.com. Scary but fun. Please check us out. Ken |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Artful Codger Date: 19 Jun 06 - 09:00 PM Harpy Trails?? Is that for songs like "Gorgon to Montana", "Come Boat Me Ogre", "Banshee Was Sweet Sixteen" and "Iron Maiden of the West"? |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,Art Thieme Date: 19 Jun 06 - 09:23 PM And there's always the way I heard it when I was a kid: Eyes like the mornin' star, Cheeks like a rose, Laura was a pretty girl, She's got a mighty nose! (art) |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST Date: 27 Jun 06 - 09:08 AM Whatever it is man, from whoever; Colorado Trail is a lovely song. Something about it. Even Don Edwards' version is as good. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,Wayne Monroe Date: 27 Jun 06 - 05:03 PM Of course, the original Kingston Trio recorded it on their album "String Along". |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Flash Company Date: 28 Jun 06 - 11:54 AM I heard it from Burl Ives, just the one verse and chorus, so used to do it as part of a medley of 'little songs which usually don't get much of a hearing', along with 'When Silver bells turn Cockleshells', and a version of 'Spanish Lady' with a 'Twenty ,eighteen, sixteen, fourteen' chorus. (All pinched from Burl) FC |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Goose Gander Date: 28 Jun 06 - 01:28 PM Colorado Trail As sung by Boyce Davis, Lincoln, Arkansas on February 29, 1968 from the Max Hunter Folksong Collection COLORADO TRAIL Eyes like a morn'n star Cheeks like a rose Laura was a pretty girl God Almighty knows Weep on ye little rains Wail winds, wail All along, along, along, The Colorado Trail Sixteen years my Laura lived And her life was good Now, she lies a sleep'n here Beneath a cross of wood Weep on ye little rains Wail, winds, wail All along, along, along Th Colorado Trail Have you ever been in love Have you felt th pain I'd rather die in a lonesome jail Then fall in love again Weep on ye little rains Wail, winds, wail All along, along, along Th Colorado Trail Stars sink'in in th west Days gonn'a break Sun will be a rise'n soon Everything will wait Weep on ye little rains Wail winds, wail All along, along, along Th Colorado Trail |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Goose Gander Date: 28 Jun 06 - 04:45 PM According to Western Folklore, vol.15, no.2, (April 1956): Folklorist Ethel Park Richardson won $100,000 on NBC's "The Big Surprise" televion quiz show for correctly answering a series of questions about folksongs, etc., one of which was regarding the name of the girl in "Colorado Trail" (from an AP dispatch to the Albuquerque Tribune, Dec. 12, 1955). |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Barry Finn Date: 28 Jun 06 - 05:39 PM Thanks Joe & Michael for these recent contributions & every one else for all the input. I'm not above taking bits & pieces & using them, though I'd take all J. Bliss's verses as a matter of personnal preference & use them first. I wasn't planning on learning more than the original song but there are so many beautiful verses by others that I think I'll steal form the bunch & see what I come up with. Thanks again Barry |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Cruiser Date: 07 Aug 06 - 04:40 PM Michael, I really like those enhanced lyrics. I always thought this song needed to tell more of a story and the lyrics you provided have done so. Thanks. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Mr Happy Date: 24 Mar 10 - 12:37 PM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lKJJQVICfo |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,j bradley guest Date: 11 Feb 14 - 08:01 PM so is the general consensus that Colorado Trail would fall in the public domain. I would like to include it on one of my CD's. thanks for the input out there. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 11 Feb 14 - 09:30 PM Supposedly collected from a horse wrangler by Sandburg, in 1927. Be careful to avoid lyrics changed or added by various performers. |
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Subject: ADD Version: Colorado Trail (Sandburg) From: Joe Offer Date: 25 Nov 14 - 10:59 PM So, as far as we can tell, the earliest printed version of the song is in Carl Sandburg's American Songbag (1927), page 462. Here are Sandburg's notes:
So, these are the earliest known printed lyrics for this song. COLORADO TRAIL Eyes like the morning star Cheek like a rose; Laura was a pretty girl, God Almighty knows. CHORUS Weep all ye little rains, Wail, winds, wail, All along, along, along The Colorado trail. In the initial post, Barry Finn provides very similar lyrics, which he found in a CD booklet from a recording by Skip Gorman. I'm not sure how Barry came up with James A. Bliss as songwriter and 1923 as the date of writing. I haven't been able to find any documentation of that. This link will take you to background information on the song, and several recordings: |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,Guest Date: 26 Nov 14 - 11:38 AM I've heard that it also was a Texas/Arkansas border cowboy song. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,Autoharper Date: 26 Nov 14 - 04:14 PM I wrote the line notes with Faith Petric when we released the Faith's Favorites CD. This is the verse Faith wrote: Wind's comin' down the gulch, Night birds cry alarm, Wish I'd stayed in Abilene, Nice and dry and warm. Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman wrote the others. In _American Songbag_, Sandburg observed the similarities between this classic cowboy love song and the 16th century English poem: Oh, Western wind, when wilt thou blow That the small rain down can rain? Christ, that my love were in my arms And I in my bed again. |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Colorado Trail From: GUEST,Jim Moran Date: 10 Aug 17 - 07:16 PM I stopped by Mudcat to check some info for a seminar I'm conducting on Sandburg's "American Songbag" and was delighted to find my little essay on "Colorado Trail" linked here. Unfortunately, in the last three years Google's Blogger site has converted all http addresses to https addies and Joe Offer's link above won't redirect properly. Here below is the https correct address that will take you to the article for those as interested. Correct URL For CompVid101's Piece on "Colorado Trail" |
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