| Artist: | Marty Robbins (English) |
| User: | ralph estes |
| Duration: | 130 seconds |
| Delay: | 12 seconds |
| Chord names: | Not defined |
| Abusive: | |
| Comment: |
Cap Watts was an old-time cowboy who lived in a dugout on the D Hill Ranch in southern Arizona. One day in early 1930s young Stan Jones and Cap were tying down blades on a windmill, as masses of dark, moving clouds were moving across the horizon backlighted with red and yellow rays of setting sun. Cap mumbled “ghost riders,” then responded to Jones’ questioning with an account of phantom riders in the sky trying to catch the devil’s herd. Cap died in 1934, but Jones never forgot the story and later wrote the song. In 1949 Jones was a park ranger in Death Valley and helping as a guide for movie location scouts during filming of Three Godfathers, starring John Wayne. Jones played a little guitar, so he sang the song one night for the Hollywood group. The rest, as they say, is history. [Tinsley, [For A Cowboy Has to Sing - p. 277] |
Em G
An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day
Em
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
Em
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw
C Em
A-plowin’ through the ragged skies, and up a cloudy draw
Em G
Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Em
Their horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel
Em
A bolt of fear went through him as they rumbled through the sky
C Em
For he saw the riders coming hard, and he heard their mournful cry
(Chorus)
G Em
Yippee-ai-ay, yippee-ai-oh
C Em
Ghost riders in the sky
Their faces gaunt their eyes were blurred their shirts all soaked with sweat
They're ridin’ hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught 'em yet
'Cause they got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snortin' fire, as they ride on, hear their cry
(Chorus)
Em G
As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name
Em
If you want to save your soul from hell, a riding on this range
Em
Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride
C (Am) Em
Trying to catch the devil's herd, across these endless skies
Russian
Esperanto