Bury Me Not

"Bury Me Not (On the Lone Prairie)" is a cowboy folk song. Also known as "The Cowboy's Lament", "The Dying Cowboy", "Bury Me Out (On the Lone Prairie)", and "(Oh) Bury Me Not", the song is described as the most famous cowboy ballad. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Based on a sailor's song, the song has been recorded by many artists, including Moe Bandy, Johnny Cash, Cisco Houston, Burl Ives, Bruce Molsky, The Residents, Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers, Colter Wall and William Elliott Whitmore.
== Background ==
The song was originally written in 1839 by Edwin Hubbell Chapin & George N. Allen. This version was titled 'The Sailors Grave (Ocean Burial)', and featured completely different lyrics. The later cowboy version was first published in 1910, with no credited writer. 
=== The Residents ===
The song was first discovered by The Residents in 1987 in a collection of cowboy poems and songs, that inspired them to record a suite based around them.
The suite debuted at the 1987 live 'Boudisque' show, and later appeared in the March 1988 Off Beat Night Show.
The group recorded the song in 1987, and released it as part of the Buckaroo Blues suite on the UWEB exclusive album of the same name in January. 
By July the track was performed at the first ever official Cube-E show, and continued to be performed for the rest of the shows run through 1990.
The song was revived in 2010, when it was performed as the encore to the Talking Light show, which ran from 2010 to 2011.
== Lyrics ==
 Oh bury me not on the lone prairie
 These words came slow and mournfully
 From the bleeding lips of a youth who lay
 On his dying bed at the close of day
 He moaned in pain till over his head
 The shadows of death grew thick like lead
 He thought of his home and his family that night
 As the cowboys gathered to watch him die
 Oh bury me not on the lone prairie
 Where the wild coyotes howl over me
 In a narrow grave just 6 by 3
 Oh bury me not on the lone prairie
 In dreams I listen to the well known words
 Of the wild free winds and the songs of birds
 I think of the table where my mama put flowers
 And the scenes I loved in those long lost hours
 It matters not I've often been told 
 Where the body lies When the heart grows cold
 Oh grant, oh grant, this wish to me
 And bury me not on the lone prairie
 I've always wished to be laid when I die
 In the little churchyard on the green hillside
 By my mama's grave please let mine be
 And bury me not on the lone prairie
 Oh bury me not- 
 And his voice stopped there
 But we took no heed of his dying prayer
 In a narrow grave, just 6 by 3
 We buried him there, on the long prairie
== Releases ==
* Buckaroo Blues (1989)<Sup>1987 Studio Version (3:00)</Sup>
* Buckaroo Blues & Black Barry (1989)<Sup>1989 Live Version (2:58) </Sup>
* Cube-E - Live In Holland (1990)<Sup>1990 Live Version (3:02) </Sup>
* In Memoriam Torso (1994)<Sup>1990 Live Version (3:02) </Sup>
* Land Of Mystery (1999)<Sup>1987 Studio Version (4:13)</Sup>
* Live! ...On The Outskirts (2002)<Sup>1988 Live Version (3:02) </Sup>
* Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town (2003)<Sup>1988 Live Version (3:02) </Sup>
* Cube-E (2006)<Sup>1990 Live Version (3:02) </Sup>
* El Año Del Muerto (2009)<Sup>1987 Studio Version (3:00)</Sup>
* Talking Light Live In Rehearsal, Santa Cruz, California (2010) <Sup>2010 Rehearsal Version (8:02) </Sup>
* Talking Light Downloads (2010 - 2011) <Sup>2010 Live Version (9 Minutes) <Sup>2011 Live Version (9:29) 
* Talking Light Bimbo's (2011)<Sup>2011 Live Version (9:29) 
* Talking Light: Bimbo's (2011)<Sup>2011 Live Version (9:29) 
* CUBE E Dynasone 3EZ (2011)<Sup>1990 Live Version (3:02) </Sup>
* Cube-E Box (2020)<Sup>1990 Live Version (3:02) </Sup><Sup>1987 Demo Version (2:58)</Sup><Sup>2011 Live Version (9:29) <Sup>1989 Live Version (2:58) </Sup>
==== Versions ====
Category:Songs
Category:Covers
Category:Buckaroo Blues
Category:Cube-E
Category:Talking Light