Each week, Mo ( It's A Blog Eat Blog World) gives a word for us to post about in any way we choose. The word this week is ghost.
The wild hunt: Åsgårdsreien (1872) by Peter Nicolai ArboAccording to Wikipedia:
"(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend" is a country and cowboy-style song. It was written on June 5, 1948 by Stan Jones. A number of versions were also crossover hits on the pop charts in 1949.
The song is about a cowboy who has a vision of red-eyed, steel-hooved cattle thundering across the sky, being chased by the ghosts of damned cowboys. One warns him that if he does not change his ways he will be doomed to join them, forever "trying to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies". The song's story has a marked resemblance to the northern European mythic Wild Hunt.
More than fifty different artists have recorded versions of this classic. Charting versions were recorded by Vaughn Monroe (with orchestra and vocal quartet), by Bing Crosby (with the Ken Darby Singers), Frankie Laine, Marty Robbins and by Johnny Cash. Other contemporary versions were recorded by Peggy Lee (with the Jud Conlon Singers), and by Spike Jones and his City Slickers. Gene Autry sang the song in his 1949 movie, Riders in the Sky.
According to Robby Krieger this song inspired the classic Doors song "Riders on the Storm".
I love country music and feel that Johnny Cash, the Man In Black, was one of the 'greats'. I honor him and his memory in this post as I post this video of him singing, and the lyrics below that.
Johnny Cash ~ Ghost Riders In The Sky
An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red eyed cows he saw
A-plowing through the ragged sky and up the cloudy draw
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
For he saw the Riders coming hard and he heard their mournful cry
Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi yaaaaay
Ghost Riders in the sky
Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
He's riding hard to catch that herd, but he ain't caught 'em yet
'Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snorting fire
As they ride on hear their cry
As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name
If you want to save your soul from Hell a-riding on our range
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
Trying to catch the Devil's herd, across these endless skies
Yippie yi Ohhhhh
Yippie yi Yaaaaay
Ghost Riders in the sky
Ghost Riders in the sky
Ghost Riders in the sky
&
11 comments:
Do you really believe in ghost? I can't believe it.
That's a great story and song. I remember it well.
What an interesting post! I loved that song "Ghost Riders in the Sky". Every time the song closed with those last 3 lines, i always felt the words really sounded like a ghost fading away in the mist!
Wow! Thanks for sharing this song! It erased my Happy Working Song theme on my head for a bit!
My ghost post is up here. Do visit when you have time. Happy Week ahead!
I'm tappin' my toes...
That's always been a great song in my book!
This has always been one of my favorite songs because my stepfather used to sing it everytime we started a road trip. His idea of funny and for the child in the back seat a great memory.
Love the Johnny Cash version.
I love the Johnny Cash version. I heard it early one morning driving with my dad up to go hiking. He turned the music up loud and sang along. I guess no version can compete with the nostalgia!
Alice, Johnny Cash is/was a consummate singer! And that song is so well-known. :)
I've always enjoyed that song. I've also always believed in ghosts.
That's a great version of the song, but then you can seldom go wrong with Johnny Cash.
Great song! Hope you had a wonderful Manic Monday. :)
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