Western Music
The Lone Writer  

Western Song: Back In The Saddle Again

Back in the Saddle Again is included in the Top 100 Western songs of all time. The members of The Western Writers of America placed the song on the fifth spot.

The song was first released in 1939 and is co-written by American cowboy entertainer Gene Autry with Ray Whitley. It is the signature song of Autry and was associated with him throughout his career. The song was used as the name of Autry’s autobiography in 1976. However, Ray Whitley wrote the original version of “Back in the Saddle Again” for the film Border G-Man starring George O’Brien, Laraine Day, and him. He introduced it with his group The Six Bar Cowboys and sang the song. After that, he recorded it as Ray Whitley’s Rangers for Decca Records and caught the attention of Autry, who “relished the idea of getting back on a trusty horse and ridin’ the range, totin’ an old 44.” To make his own twist of the song, Autry rearranged the tune.

According to Whitley, the inspiration of the song was about doing something that you missed doing and was a comparison to the situation of Gene Autry which is going back to recording a song once again. The song is also a wholesome cowboy song where someone just genuinely wants to ride a horse once again.

Back In The Saddle Again Popular Recordings

Here is the list of artists who recorded the popular versions of the song:

  • Ray Whitley’s Rangers
  • Gene Autry
  • Eddie Dean
  • Gene Autry
  • Gene Autry with Carl Cotner’s Orchestra and the Cass County Boys

Honors

  • In 1939, Back in the Saddle Again became Autry’s second gold record
  • The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1997
  • It ranked the 98th best song of the Twentieth Century in 2001
  • Slim Whitman released the track on his Twilight on The Trail Album in 2010

Listen (Gene Autry Version)

Back In The Saddle Again Lyrics

I'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again

Ridin' the range once more
Totin' my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

I'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again

Ridin' the range once more
Totin' my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle againI'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again

Ridin' the range once more
Totin' my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

I'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again

Ridin' the range once more
Totin' my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again

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