The Hills of Mexico

A cowboy variant on "The Buffalo Song", which was written by one John B. Freeman during a season of buffalo hunting in 1877. That song was in turn patterned on an 1850s Canadian lumberjack song called "Canaday-I-O", which itself was based on an earlier English sea ballad.https://umaine.edu/folklife/what-we-do/programs-and-events/maine-song-and-story-sampler-map/places/franklin-canaday-i-o/ A fragment of a similar "cowboy" version was first published in 1923 under the title "Boggus Creek"; a full version followed in 1927, collected from a cowboy named James "Honey Jim" Mullens, who recalled learning it on a cattle drive during the 1880s. For an extensively researched dive into the evolution of this family of songs, click here.
==Factoids==
Andy has mentioned that his arrangement of the song is based on this arrangement by Meredith Moon.
==Lyrics==
Too many variations of this song exist to identify any definitive version; these lyrics are based on the song as performed in the band's livestreams.
When I's in old Fort Worth in eighteen and eighty three
Some old Mexican cowboy come stepping up to me
Saying "How are you young fella, how would you like to go
And to spend another season 'neath them hills of Mexico?"
Well, I had no employment, and back to him did say
"It's according to your wages, according to your pay"
He said "I'll pay to you good wages, and often too, you know
If you'll spend another season 'neath them hills of Mexico"
Well I went up to that cowboy and I offered him my hand
And he gave a string of horses so old they couldn't stand
And I nearly starved to death boys, and I mean to let you know
That I never saved a dollar 'neath them hills of Mexico
I sent up for my wages, on a steamboat I did go
How them bells they did ring and them whistles they did blow
How them bells they did ring and them whistles they did blow
On that godforsaken fortune 'neath them hills of Mexico
==Recordings==
====YouTube Videos====
*Music Video
====Full Band Streams====
*The Longest Johns Save the Day! Or maybe just sing and chat... 29 Apr 2020)
*Last Stream Before Album Launch! (27 May 2020)
*We Built This Stream(y) on Shant and Folk (11 Nov 2020)
*Sweet Streams are Made of This (17 Mar 2021)
*Stream If You Wanna Go Faster (12 May 2021)
*STREAM (4 Aug 2021)
*It's The Most Wonderful Stream of the Year (22 Dec 2021)
*Streamage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3 May 2022)
*In Space No One Can Hear You Stream (19 Oct 2022)
*Stream Girls (27 Apr 2023)
*Stream Lantern (27 Sep 2023)
*Little Stream of Horrors (25 Oct 2023)
*Streamboat Willie (17 Jan 2024)
====Chill Streams ====
*JD & Andy Chilltime - 13/01/2020
*Welcome to the Chilldome! With Andy - 15/03/2020
*Come on down to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 26/03/2020
*Chillbury Town: Population You! With Andy & JD - 30/03/2020
*Roll on down to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 04/04/2020
*We all get songs in Chillbury Town! With Andy and JD - 06/04/2020
*Roll on down to Chillbury Town! With Andy - 10/04/2020
*It's a glorious morning in Chillbury Town! With Andy - 17/04/2020
*Welcome to Chillville! Population: Andy - 01/05/2020
*Friday Morning Super Folk Music Time! - 29/05/2020
*Enter the Chilldome! Playing mostly folk music... - 05/06/2020
*Are you a chill enough dude to defeat the Chilldome? - 10/07/2020
*Pack your bags! We're moving to Chillbury Town. - 14/08/2020
*Look out! It's a music! Playing mostly folk... - 21/08/2020
*Hold on to your hats! I'm attempting a music! - 28/08/2020
*Hold my herbal tea! I'm doing a music! - 04/09/2020
*Shut the front door! It's a music! - 18/09/2020
*Music? Music! - 25/09/2020
*Music? Splendid! - 09/10/2020
*Batten down the hatches! A music is coming! - 30/10/2020
*It's folk music time! New banjo! - 11/12/2020
*Super Friday Folk Music Time! - 18/12/2020
*Just one tired man and a banjo... - 17/01/2021
*To the Banjo Cave! - 29/11/2021
*We'll all drink herbal tea in Chillbury Town - 14/04/2022 Stream Full VOD
====Gaming Streams ====
*Sea of Thieves Tall Tales Marathon for Charity Part 2 (24 Jun 2020)
*Sea of Sings. Tonight we hit the high C's... - 10/07/2020
*I like big boats and I cannot lie - 17/08/2020
*Sailing, Wailing and Failing with Captain Falcore! - 19/10/2020
*Full Friendship followed by Battle Royale! - 23/11/2020
*Sea of Joviality with KroTukk and KHARITES_ - 28/11/2020
*Sea of Sings! Boats and stuff! - 15/02/2021
*Roll on up, roll on down. We all get songs in Streaming Town - 31/05/2021
*Stop blowing holes in my ship! with THE Cpt Jack Sparrow & THE Kharites_! - 25/06/2021
*Sing and Sail with Friends! Joined by @brionykay - 09/08/2021
*Sea of Sings - Putting the rum in rumbustiousness since 1862 - 06/09/2021
*Aga Do Do Do, Eat Pineapples Do A Stream! With KHARITES_ and Krotukk - 08/10/2021
*Two SoT streams in one week?!? What is this, 2020? - 01/04/2022
Category:Songs
Category:Traditional
Category:Andy Songs