The Old Chisholm Trail is a famous song sung by cowboys during the 1870s, with its tune based on an English lyrical song way back to 1640. Members of the Western Writers of America declared the song’s inclusion in the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
Its earliest publication was by John Lomax in 1910, as part of his book Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads. Jules Allen, The Singing Cowboy, first recorded the song on March 28, 1929, and its first release happened in the same year. Aside from being a favorite to cowboys, the popularity of The Old Chisholm Trail is evident in the number of versions/covers it has up to this day. Artists like Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Randy Travis, Tex Ritter, and Michael Martin Murphey recorded the song, making minor variations to the title, lyrics, and tune.
Table of Contents
History of the Song
The Chisholm Trail was one of the four main trails in the West. Before it fell into disuse in 1882, American cowboys used the route for driving cattle from Texas to Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming.
Texas Confederate soldiers raised longhorn cattle before the Civil War. However, upon their return, the herds doubled in number, roaming the southern area of the state, not branded with its owner’s mark. The era of great cattle drives started at this point. The Chisholm Trail was one of the major routes which accommodated these cattle drives, seeing around 3 million head of cattle between 1867 and 1872 alone. American cowboys learned to sing countless verses to the song The Old Chisholm Trail to alert compatriots of their presence, avoid stampeding cattle, and keep themselves awake. Various sources claim these verses amount to thousands, as cowboys continuously invent their own for the song. The lyrics contain aspects of the cattle drive, including parts of the trail driving history.
Popular Recordings
Over the years, various artists, especially Western singers, recorded their versions/covers of the song. Among these were as follows:
- Frank Luther and The Luther Trio
- Harry McClintock
- Tex Ritter
- Gene Autry
- Yodeling Slim Clark
- Burl Ives
- Bing Crosby
- Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
- Ramblin’ Jack Elliott
- Dick Curless
- Alex Campbell
- Riders in the Sky
- Michael Martin Murphey
- Randy Travis
- Wayne Erbesen
- Charlie Daniels
- Wylie & The Wild West
- Mike Seeger
- Dom Flemons
Listen to Old Chisholm Trail (Randy Travis Version)
The Old Chisholm Trail Lyrics
[Instrumental] Well come along boys and listen to my tale I'll tell you 'bout my troubles on the old Chisholm Trail Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay I started up the trail October twenty-third Started up the trail with a U-2 herd Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay On a ten dollar horse and a forty dollar saddle Started out punchin' them longhorn cattle Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay With my seat in the saddle and my hand on the horn I'm the best danged cowboy that was ever born Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay [Fiddle] It's cloudy in the west and looking like rain And my danged old slicker's in the wagon again Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay The wind began to blow and the rain began to fall And it looked like we were gonna lose 'em all Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay No chaps no slippers and it's pourin' down rain I swear I'll never night herd again Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay I trip on my horse and I don't know how Ropin' these longhorn U-2 cows Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay [Fiddle] Well I went to the boss to draw my roll And the boss had me figured nine dollars in the hole Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay Well me and the boss we had a little spat So I hit him in the face with my ten-gallon hat Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay The boss said to me, "Well I'll fire you Not only you, but the whole dang crew!" Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay I'll sell my horse, I'll sell my saddle And you can drive all your longhorn cattle Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay [Fiddle] Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay yippee yay Come a ti yi yippee yippee yay.
