Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-03-23

dumps about something like losing his
roll on the wheel or a headache fol-
lowing a wild night"
OF course there are lively cowboy
songs, like strawberry Roam" a horse
which could turn on a nickel and
give you back change" But at that, it
and similar songs were seldom heard
except In a beer hall or on q phono-
graph A cowboy Just simply didn't
have time TO try to learn the words
and music TO them.
Freighters' Songs Better known
Old-time freighters' songs were more
widely known among the early day
cowmen than cowboy songs. One Of
them, for instance, was about Sweet
Polly From Pike" who went over the
trail with her true lover Ike" There
was another, Joe Bowers" a song
dating from emigrant trail days. Joe
boosted that
MY name 1t Is Joe Bowers,
And I have brother Ike,
II come from Old Missoury
And all the way from Pike"
The Ike In the Joe Bowers song Is
no relation to the Ike IN Sweet
Polly" but the Pike is the same, both
applying to Pike county, Missouri The
Joe Bowers, song, the complete story
of a romance which appealed to the
fun loving emigrants and early day
freighters, also was widely known by
men OF the open ranges, who sang 1t
regardless Of the fact that their vocal
efforts might resemble more the croak-
ing of a frog rather than the eleva-
ton of human voice 1t continues:
I'll tell you why I left there
and started for to roam
And left my dear old nanny
so. fur away from home.
There I loved a pretty gal,
Her name was Sally Black.
II asked her fur to marry me
And she said 1t was whack
said she to me, Joe Bowers,
Before you're hitched for life,
You'd better get a little home
ITO keep little wife
said I to her, Dear Sally, gal
IF you win only wait,
I'll go to California and
IN try to make q stake
said she to me, Joe Bowers
You are the man to win
And she sealed the bargain with kiss
And threw dozen in"
Well, according to the song, Joe went
20 California and got right busy. He
worked like q mailer. He seemed to be
getting along fine. And then one day
4 letter came from my dear brother |
Ike"
It told Joe that Sally had walked |
)ut on him and married a red-headed |
butcher and that they had red
headed baby. Joe bemoaned that the |
act that the letter failed to say wheth- |
r the baby was boy or girl and
hat 1t stopped right after saying that
he baby's hair was red"
Sung to the lively measure mostly
iven 1t and dozens Of tunes that were
manufactured by the singers, Joe
Bowers" was a widely known ditty Of |
he early day cattle country.
Don't get the idea, however, that
leavy, deadly sentiment Of the Dying |
cowboy" brings a grin to their lips. |
BUT Home on the Range" modern |
ong written by finished song writer, |
ct to tlneful, appealing music, sung |
q the ringing tenor voice OF Alex |
nder Campbell at the annual re- !
MONS, has brought them all to their |
eet to join In the chorus and thun-
Ter Of applause at the finish.
Other old-time cowmen with whom
have checked regarding the ability
( old-time cowboys or rather their
ack of ability to sing old-time cow
oy songs in anything else but little
ieces interspersed with cummings and
la de da's," are Ray Klaue, Great
'alls poStoffice official, born and
atSed on Meagher county cattle
anch and secretary Of the Montana
cowboys association; Ben Jefferson,
rand inspector, former manager OF
ne of the j. B. Long Cattle Co.
anches and treasurer of the cowboys