Songs indexed in alphabetical order
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y

tabulated by ,

6  -6   -6 -6    -7  7  
An old cowpoke went out 

-6 -6  6   6   6 5   6
on a dark and windy day.

6-6 -6  -6  -7   7 7   
Upon a ridge he rested 

7  -8  8   8 8    7   8
as he went along his way.

 8    8 -10  -10-10-10 8    8  
When all at once a mighty herd 

 8   8  8    8   7  -6
of red-eyed cows he saw

5  -5 -5    -5    -5   7 7    7  
A-plowing through the ragged sky 

 7   7-6  -6 -6  -6
and up a cloudy draw.

  8 8     8  9   -10-10 -10 -109   
Yipppie aye-aaa, yippie aye-ooh.  

  7     7  7   7   7-6
Ghost herd in the sky.

Their brands were still on fire
and their hooves were made of steel.
Their horns wer black and shining
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-aye-aaa, yippie-aye-ooh.
Ghost riders in the sky.

Their faces gaunt their eyes were blurred
and shirts all soaked with sweat.
They're riding hard to catch that head
but they ain't caught them yet,
'cause they've got to ride forever
on that range up in the sky
On horses snorting as they ride
and hear their awful cry--

Yippie---etc

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,
A-trying to catch the devil's herd
across these endless skies,

Yippie---etc. and end.

I recall having read some background on this tune some time in the past that Stan Jones had a difficult time getting it recorded. Not a professional musician (a forest ranger, I recall) he got the idea from his experiences in his work watching cloud formationss. When he presented it, most publishers felt it sounded too much like "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" or some other tune. Even Lloyd Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers are reported to have turned it down. It became one of the biggest hits of 1949.

The most popular version was by Vaughn Monroe backed by his orchestra.

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