recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Golden Lockets

**Golden Lockets** is a song written by Ranger Doug, first performed by Riders In The Sky on their 2023 album *Throw A Saddle On A Star*. The song reuses the melody of another Ranger Doug song, *A Boarder Romance*.

## Lyrics

*'Neath the spreading magnolia*

*In the Tennessee hills*

*Two young lovers talking*

*As young lovers will*

*They exchanged golden lockets*

*For his orders had come*

*To ride to the west*

*With the cavalry's best*

*And the beating of drums*

*"Oh my roamer and dreamer..."*

*"Is this what you must do?"*

*"To make war on the Natives..."*

*"...who's done no harm to you?"*

*"My duty is clear, love."*

*He replied with a sigh*

*"But your locket of gold..."*

*"I will treasure and hold"*

*And they kissed one last time*

*Two columns of riders*

*And a short mule-drawn train*

*Specks on the horizon*

*On that broad western plain*

*Set on by Comanches*

*By a bright river side*

*Till that river ran red*

*With the blood of the dead*

*And the dying who cried*

*"Yes captain, I'm dying..."*

*He whispered in pain*

*Handing over his locket*

*On that wild bloody plain*

*"Take this back to my one love..."*

*"Back in old Tennessee..."*

*"Where she waits for me there..."*

*"With a flower in her hair..."*

*"'Neath a magnolia tree..."*
Riders In The Sky Live

**Riders In The Sky Live** (also referred to as **Live At The Birchmere**) is the fifth album from Riders In The Sky, and the band's first live recording. It was released by Rounder Records in 1984.

## Track List

1. *Cowboy Jubilee*
2. *Yodel Blues*
3. *When The Bloom Is On The Sage*
4. *After You've Gone*
5. *Cowboy Song*
6. *Hold That Critter Down*
7. *Cielito Lindo*
8. *The Last Roundup*
9. *I Grab My Saddle Horn And Blow*
10. *Blue Bonnet Lady*
11. *When Payday Rolls Around*
12. *So Long, Saddle Pals*

## Credits

### Riders In The Sky

* Ranger Doug (Douglas B. Green) - Guitar, vocals
* Too Slim (Fred LaBour) - Bunkhouse bass, vocals
* Woody Paul (Paul Chrisman) - Fiddle, vocals

### Studio

* Riders In The Sky - Producers
* Bias Recorders (Springfield, VA) - Recorder
* Bill McElroy - Engineer
* Todd Cerney - Mixing Engineer
* Creative Workshop (Nashville, TN) - Mixing Studio

## Recording Dates

* March 5th & 6th, 1983 (The Birchmere; Alexandria, VA)
	+ *Cowboy Jubilee*
	+ *Yodel Blues*
	+ *When The Bloom Is On The Sage*
	+ *After You've Gone*
	+ *Cowboy Song*
	+ *Hold That Critter Down*
	+ *The Last Roundup*
	+ *Cielito Lindo*
	+ *Blue Bonnet Lady*
	+ *So Long, Saddle Pals*
One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart

**One Has My Name, The Other Has My Heart** is a song written by Eddie Dean, Lorene Dean, and Hal Blair, first recorded by Jimmy Wakely in 1948. Riders In The Sky recorded the song for their 1994 album *Cowboys In Love*, which featured vocals from Emmylou Harris.

## Lyrics

*One has my name*

*The other has my heart*

*With one, I'll remain*

*That's when my heartache starts*

*One has brown eyes*

*The other's eyes are blue*

*To one I am tied*

*The other, I am true*

*One has my love*

*The other, only me*

*But what good is love*

*To a heart that can't be free*

*So I'll go on living my life just the same*

*My one has my heart*

*And the other has my name*

*One has my name*

*The other has my heart*

*With one, I'll remain*

*That's when my heartache starts*

*One has brown eyes*

*The other's eyes are blue*

*To one I am tied*

*The other, I am true*

*One has my love*

*The other, only me*

*But what good is love*

*To a heart that can't be free*

*If I could live over*

*My life, I would change*

*The one who has my heart*

*Would also have my name*

## Riders Recordings

* *Cowboys In Love* (1994) (first recording)
* *Riders Radio Theater* (series)
	+ *Marauders of The Cosmos* Chapter Three (1994) (live performance)
Blue Shadows On The Trail

**Blue Shadows On The Trail** is a song written by Eliot Daniel and Johnny Lange for the 1948 Disney film *Melody Time*, where it was first performed by Roy Rogers and The Sons of The Pioneers. Riders In The Sky had been performing the song live as early as 1978, but did not record it for the first time until the 1982 album *Prairie Serenade*.

## Lyrics

*Shades of night are fallin'*

*The wind begins to sigh*

*The world is silhouetted*

*'Gainst the sky...*

*Blue shadows on the trail*

*Blue moon shining through the trees*

*And a plaintive wail from the distance*

*Comes a driftin' on the evenin' breeze*

*Move along, blue shadows, move along*

*Soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way*

*But until the darkness sheds it's veil*

*There'll be blue shadows on the trail*

*Move along, blue shadows, move along*

(*move along, move along, move along..*.)

*Soon the dawn will come and you'll be on your way*

*But until the darkness sheds it's veil*

*There'll be blue shadows on the trail*

Shadows on the trail...

## Riders Recordings

* *Prairie Serenade* (1982) (first recording)
* *Best of The West Rides Again* (1987) (reuses *Prairie Serenade* recording)
* *Riders Radio Theater* (series)
	+ *Meltdown On The Mesa* Chapter Three (1988) (live performance)
	+ *War of The Worlds* Chapter One (1999) (live performance) (part of the Roy Rogers Tribute Medley)
* *Nashville Now* (December 4th, 1990) (live performance)
* *The Grand Ole Opry Live* (July 11th, 1998) (part of the Roy Rogers Tribute Medley)
* *Riders In The Sky Salute Roy Rogers: King of The Cowboys* (2015) (new recording)

## Trivia

* Riders In The Sky's 2015 recording of *Blue Shadows On The Trail* was featured in the 2019 film *Lucy In The Sky*.
Tweetsie Railroad Line

**Tweetsie Railroad Line** is a song written by Ranger Doug and performed by Riders In The Sky on the 2002 album *Ridin' The Tweetsie Railroad*.

## Lyrics

*Way up in the Carolina hills*

*Whistle echoing across the rocks and rills*

*Calls me to a better place and time*

*And you get there on the Tweetsie Railroad line*

(THREE-PART HARMONIC IMITATION OF A TRAIN WHISTLE)

*You're in the heart of the wild wild West*

(THREE-PART HARMONIC IMITATION OF A TRAIN WHISTLE)

*It's the place I love the best*

*Leave your worries and your problems far behind*

*All aboard let's ride that Tweetsie Railroad line*

(THREE-PART HARMONIC IMITATION OF A TRAIN WHISTLE)

*You're in the heart of the wild wild West*

(THREE-PART HARMONIC IMITATION OF A TRAIN WHISTLE)

*It's the place I love the best*

*Leave your worries and your problems far behind*

*All aboard let's ride that Tweetsie Railroad line*

(YODELING)
Horse Opera

**Horse Opera** is the eleventh studio album from Riders In The Sky, released by MCA Records in 1990.

## Track List

1. *Ride, Cowboy, Ride*
2. *Maybe I'll Cry Over You*
3. *Texas Echo*
4. *Slocum Intro*
5. *What Would I Do Without You?*
6. *The Arms of My Love*
7. *Homecoming Yodel*
8. *Call of The Canyon*
9. *Drywall Intro*
10. *Livin' In A Mobile Home*
11. *The Line Rider*
12. *Sidemeat Intro/Sidekick Heaven*
13. *Someone's Got To Do It*

## Credits

### Riders In The Sky

* Ranger Doug (Douglas B. Green) - Guitar, vocals
* Too Slim (Fred LaBour) - Bunkhouse bass, vocals
* Woody Paul (Paul Chrisman) - Fiddle, vocals
* Joey The Cow-Polka King (Joey Miskulin) - Accordion

### Additional Musicians

* Kenny Malone - Percussion
* John Willis - Guitar

### Studio

* Buzz Stone - Producer
* Russ Martin - Engineer
* Tim Kish - Mixing Engineer (at The Castle Studio)
* Jim Demain & Dave Parker - Second Engineers

## Recording Dates

* April 10th, 1990 (16th Avenue Recorders; Nashville, TN)
	1. *Ride, Cowboy, Ride*
	2. *Homecoming Yodel*
	3. *Call of The Canyon*
	4. *The Arms of My Love*
	5. *Sidekick Heaven*
* April 11th, 1990 (16th Avenue Recorders; Nashville, TN)
	1. *Someone's Got To Do It*
	2. *Texas Echo*
	3. *Maybe I'll Cry Over You*
	4. *The Line Rider*
	5. *What Would I Do Without You?*
	6. *Living In A Mobile Home*

## Notes

* This was the fourth and final album for MCA that the Riders recorded. Their next three albums (*Harmony Ranch*, *Merry Christmas From Harmony Ranch*, and *Cowboys In Love*) would be released through Columbia Records. MCA would later release the compilation album *Saturday Morning With Riders In The Sky* in 1992.

## Trivia

* Despite his appearance on the cover, Sergent Dudley does not "appear" in any of the tracks on this album.
Blue Bonnet Lady

**Blue Bonnet Lady** is a song written by Woody Paul sometime prior to joining Riders In The Sky in 1979. The Riders first recorded the song for their first album *Three On The Trail*.

## Lyrics

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Why are you so sad and all alone*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Do you need a shoulder to lean upon*

*I'm just a lonesome Lone Star cowboy*

*And I'm needin' someone, too*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Come with me, and you won't be blue*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*I bet you're sweeter than the rose of San Antone*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*A pretty Texas flower shouldn't be so all alone*

*I'm just a lonesome Lone Star cowboy*

*And I'm needin' someone too and it might be you*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Come with me, and you won't be blue*

(Instrumental break)

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Now come on wipe that Texas teardrop from your eye, cause*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Things are gonna be much better by and by*

*For I'm just a lonesome Lone Star cowboy*

*And I need a girl like you, yes I do*

*Blue blue bonnet lady*

*Come with me, and you won't be blue*

*No you won't*

*Come with me, and you won't be blue*

## Recordings

* *Three On The Trail* (1980)
* *Riders In The Sky Live* (1984) (live performance)
* *New Trails* (1986) (new recording)
* *Best of The West* (1987) (uses *Three On The Trail* recording)
* *Riders Radio Theater: Meltdown On The Mesa* Episode 11 (1988) (live performance)
* *Silver Jubilee* (2003) (new recording)
Best of The West

**Best of The West** is a compilation album released in 1987 by Rounder Records, collecting songs from Riders In The Sky's early albums.

## Track List

1. *Cowboy Jubilee* (from *Cowboy Jubilee*)
2. *That's How The Yodel Was Born* (from *Weeds And Water*)
3. *Ghost Riders In The Sky* (from *Three On The Trail*)
4. *Don't Fence Me In* (from *Three On The Trail*)
5. *Ol' Cowpoke* (from *Cowboy Jubilee*)
6. *Wasteland* (from *Prairie Serenade*)
7. *Blue Bonnet Lady* (from *Three On The Trail*)
8. *Blue Montana Skies* (from *Three On The Trail*)
9. *After You've Gone* (from *Riders In The Sky Live*)
10. *Here Comes The Santa Fe* (from *Three On The Trail*)
11. *Tumbling Tumbleweeds* (from *Weeds And Water*)
12. *La Cucaracha* (from *Weeds And Water*)
13. *Soon As The Roundup's Through* (from *Cowboy Jubilee*)
14. *I Ride An Old Paint* (from *Prairie Serenade*)
15. *Riding Alone* (from *Cowboy Jubilee*)
16. *Hold That Critter Down* (from *Riders In The Sky Live*)
17. *Ride With The Wind* (from *Cowboy Jubilee*)
18. *Cowboy Song* (from *Three On The Trail*)
19. *Prairie Serenade* (from *Prairie Serenade*)
20. *Nevada* (from *Prairie Serenade*)
21. *Home On The Range* (from *Prairie Serenade*)
22. *So Long, Saddle Pals* (from *Riders In The Sky Live*)
"Lassoed Live" At The Schermerhorn With The Nashville Symphony

**"Lassoed Live" At The Schermerhorn With The Nashville Symphony** is the fourth live album from Western swing band Riders In The Sky, independently released by the Nashville Symphony and New Frontier Management in August, 2009.

## Track List

1. *Riders In The Sky Overture*
2. *Ride, Cowboy, Ride*
3. *Cool Water*
4. *Yellow Rose of Texas*
5. *The Arms of My Love*
6. *South of The Boarder*
7. *Woody's Roundup Medley*
8. *Back In The Saddle Again*
9. *Rawhide*
10. *Lonely Yukon Stars*
11. *Ghost Riders In The Sky*
12. *Happy Trails*
13. *Tumbling Tumbleweeds*

## Credits

### Riders In The Sky

* Ranger Doug (Douglas B. Green) - Guitar, vocals
* Too Slim (Fred LaBour) - Bunkhouse bass, vocals
* Woody Paul (Paul Chrisman) - Fiddle, vocals
* Joey The Cow-Polka King (Joey Miskulin) - Accordion, vocals

### Studio

* Paul Lohr - Executive Producer
* Jim Mancus - Executive Producer
* Joey Miskulin - Producer
* Kelly Corcoran - Producer
* John Hill - Recording & Mixing Engineer
* Jonathan Russell - Mastering
* Masterfonics Nashville - Mastering
* Kevin Edlin - Assistant Recording Engineer
* Tim Miller - Assistant Recording Engineer
* Gary Call - House Sound Engineer
* Elizabeth Mancuso - Art Direction/CD Design
* Steve Hall (Hedrich Blessing Photography) - Cover Photo
* Jonathan Hobson - Additional Photography
* Roberta LaBour - Director of Social Marketing
* Jim Gray - Arranger (Track 1)
* Bill Walker - Arranger (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, & 13)
* Dave Hanson - Arranger (Track 6)
* Ira Hearshen - Arranger (Track 7)
* Dennis Burnside - Arranger (Track 10)
* Alan D. Valentine - Liner Notes

## Recording Dates

* February 19th, 2009 (Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center; Nashville, TN)
* February 20th, 2009 (Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center; Nashville, TN)
* February 21st, 2009 (Laura Turner Concert Hall, Schermerhorn Symphony Center; Nashville, TN)
Woody's Roundup

**Woody's Roundup** is a song composed by Randy Newman for the 1999 Disney/PIXAR film *Toy Story 2*. Riders In The Sky were called in at the request of Ash Brannon, the film's co-director and a fan of the band, to the perform the song. It was first released on the *Toy Story 2* soundtrack, though it has been re-recorded later for other Riders In The Sky albums.

## Lyrics

*Woody's Roundup*

*Right here every day*

*Woody's Roundup*

*Come on it's time to play*

*There's Jessie the yodelin' cowgirl*

(*Yo-de-lady, yo-de-lady, yo-de-lady oh-ee*)

*Bullseye, he's Woody's horse*

(SIDEMEAT: *He's a smart one!*)

*Pete the old prospector*

*And Woody the man himself*

*Of course it's time for Woody's Roundup*

*He's the very best*

*He's the rootinest, tootinest, cowboy in the wild, wild west*

*Woody's Roundup*

*Come on, gather 'round*

*Woody's Roundup*

*Where nobody wears a frown*

*Bad guys go runnin'*

*Whenever he's in town*

*He's the rootinest, tootinest, shootinest, hootinest cowboy around*

*Woody's Roundup*

## Music Video

A music video for the song was filmed at Hayvenhurst Studios in mid-October, 1999. The video features the Riders performing on a set reminiscent of the "corral" stage used on their *Tumbleweed Theater* television series. Clips from the *Toy Story 2* film are also used.

## Recordings

* *Toy Story 2* (film version) (August 24th, 1999; O'Henry Studio; Burbank, CA)
* *Woody's Roundup: A Rootin' Tootin' Collection of Woody's Favorite Songs* (2000) (new recording)
* *Silver Jubilee* (2003) (new recording)
* *"Lassoed Live" At The Schermerhorn With The Nashville Symphony* (2009) (new recording)
* *America’s Favorite Cowboy Songs* (2012) (reuses *Silver Jubilee* recording)
* *Daytrotter Sessions: Riders In The Sky* (2013) (new recording)
Trail of Tears

**Trail of Tears** is a song written by Paul Domann, Pebe Sebert, and Ralph Whiteway. Riders In The Sky recorded the song for their 1986 album *New Trails*.

## Lyrics

*You said our love was over*

*You shut the door on me*

*You turn me out to wander like some lonesome Cherokee*

*My tears fall to the ground*

*Like raindrops from above*

*They fall like beads on strings of broken promises of love*

*Trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*The ghost your goodbye*

*Haunts me as I cry this trail of tears*

*I can't outrun your memory*

*I can feel you in my bones*

*Your lovin' was the only home my heart has ever known*

*It's unfamiliar territory I am passing through*

*I'm just a lonely stranger in a strange land without you*

*Trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*The ghost your goodbye*

*Haunts me as I cry this trail of tears*

*But if you ever want me*

*If you change your mind*

*It won't be hard to follow*

*These tears I leave behind*

*Trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*The ghost your goodbye*

*Haunts me as I cry this trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*The ghost your goodbye*

*Haunts me as I cry this trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*The ghost your goodbye*

*Haunts me as I cry this trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*

*Trail of tears*
Christmas At The Triple X Ranch

**Christmas At The Triple X Ranch** is a Christmas song written by Woody Paul and Karen Ritter. It was originally released in 1981 as a single by Rounder Records (the "B-side" to *Riding Home On Christmas Eve*). In 1992, the lyrics were slightly altered and the title was changed to **Merry Christmas From Harmony Ranch** to tie-into the album of the same name releasing that year.

## Lyrics (Original Version)

*There's a bunkhouse on the prairie with it's windows glowing brightly*

*My homecoming pony starts to prance*

*For the door is open slightly where the snow sprinkles lightly*

*It's Christmas at the Triple X Ranch*

*There's a pine tree in the corner and the cowboys decorated*

*Hanging stars and prickly pears on every branch*

*Wrapping presents they created for the day anticipated*

*It's Christmas at the Triple X Ranch*

WOODY PAUL: What you'd get, Ranger?

RANGER DOUG: Here's an old Colt revolver with new pearl handles...

WOODY PAUL: Some snuff in a fancy silver can!

TOO SLIM: Boys, thanks for this jug of firewater and the fancy new bridle!

*All for Christmas at the Triple X Ranch*

*(All for Christmas!)*

*Oh the wreaths are made of sagebrush*

*The turkey's on the table*

*The boys have asked the ladies for a dance*

*And they're singing, loud and merry, can be herd across the prairie*

*It's Christmas at the Triple X Ranch*

(Yodeling)

*Merry Christmas from the Triple X Ranch*

RANGER DOUG (SPOKEN): Merry Christmas, buckaroos and buckarettes...

## Harmony Ranch Version

Besides substituting the words *Triple X Ranch* for *Harmony Ranch*, Woody Paul's and Too Slim's "presents" were changed for the 1992 recording (as well as the inclusion of the Sidemeat character).

TOO SLIM: What you'd get, Ranger Doug?

RANGER DOUG: Got an old Colt revolver with new pearl handles...

WOODY PAUL: Wow! A new hat with a fancy braided band!

TOO SLIM: Boys, thanks for the bridal and the blanket!

SIDEMEAT: And the cast-iron skillet!

*All for Christmas at the Harmony Ranch*

## Riders Recordings

* *Season's Greetings From Riders In The Sky* single (*Riding Home On Christmas Eve/Christmas At The Triple X Ranch*) (1981)
* *Riders Radio Theater*: *The Night They Bushwhacked Christmas* (1992) (live)
* *Merry Christmas From Harmony Ranch* (1992) (new lyrics/title)
* *A Riders In The Sky Christmas* (1993) (new recording)
* *The Rounder Christmas Album: Must Be Santa* (1995) (compilation album featuring 1981 recording)

## Notes

* Both singles were recorded on October 23rd, 1981 at the Creative Workshop Studios in Nashville, TN.
Virgen Maria (Why Are You Weeping?)

**Virgen Maria (Why Are You Weeping?)** is a song written by Ranger Doug, first performed by Riders In The Sky on the 1995 TNN television special *Riders Radio Theater: The Christmas Show*. It later received an album release on Ranger Doug's 1997 solo album *Songs of The Sage*.

## Lyrics

*While the villagers are sleeping*

*In their dusty desert town*

*You can hear a young girl weeping*

*In a stable tumble down.*

*While they sleep their sleep unknowing*

*She weeps so gently through the night*

*Lit so softly by the glowing*

*Of a lantern’s flickering light*

*Virgen Maria, por qué lloras?*

*El mundo duerme in tranquilidad*

*Virgen Maria, lloraba con feliz*

*Es la mañana de la Navidad*

*Oh Mary, Mary, why are you weeping?*

*They’re tears of joy upon the birth*

*Of the promise God is keeping*

*To bring mankind his peace on Earth*

*To bring mankind his peace on Earth*

## Riders Recordings

* *Riders Radio Theater: The Christmas Show* (1995) (first performance)
* *Songs of The Sage* (1997) (first studio recording) (Ranger Doug solo performance)
* *Christmas The Cowboy Way* (1999) (new recording) (Riders In The Sky group performance)
* *Old School Country & Bluegrass* (2020) (reuses *Songs of The Sage* recording)

## Notes

* Song description from the liner notes of *Christmas The Cowboy Way* (1999):
	+ *Another Ranger Doug fantasy, wherein miracles happen in humble stables on cold desert evenings, whether in Bethlehem or in Sonora. It is a tribute to the profound influence Mexican music has had on the song and styles of the cowboy.*
Way Out There

**Way Out There** is a song written by Bob Nolan, first recorded by The Sons of The Pioneers in 1934. Riders In The Sky first performed the song live in Chapter Six of the *Riders Radio Theater* serial *Trail of The Diamond Desperado*.

## Lyrics

(YODELING)

*A lonely spot I know*

*Where no man will go*

*Where the shadows have all the room*

*I was ridin' free*

*On the old SP*

*Hummin' a southern tune*

*When a man came along*

*Made me hush my song*

*Threw me off*

*A way out there*

(YODELING)

*As she was passin' by*

*I caught her on the fly*

*I climbed in an open door*

*Then I turned around*

*To that desert ground*

*Saw the spot I would see no more*

*And as I rode away*

*I heard the pale moon say*

*"So long, pal. It sure gets lonesome here"*

(YODELING)

## Riders Recordings

* *Riders Radio Theater* (series)
	+ *Trail of The Diamond Desperado* Chapter Six (1990) (live performance)
* *Ridin' The Tweetsie Railroad* (2002) (first studio recording)
* *Silver Jubilee* (2003) (reuses *Ridin' The Tweetsie Railroad* recording)

## Notes

* While the original recording by The Sons of The Pioneers has several more verses, all Riders In The Sky performances have only included the first two verses.
Meltdown On The Mesa (serial)

*This is about the weekly serial. You might be looking for the sketch featured on the Riders Radio Theater album.*

**Meltdown On The Mesa** was the first serial of the *Riders Radio Theater* series, airing on National Public Radio stations from mid-to-late 1988 (exact dates unknown).

## Episode Details

1. ↑ *It's The Cowboy Way: The Amazing True-Life Adventures of Riders In The Sky* (Cusic, Don) (2003) Page 185
Hee Haw

**Hee Haw** was an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with the fictional rural "Kornfield Kounty" as the backdrop. The series originally aired on CBS from 1969 to 1971 before becoming a syndicated series in the latter half of 1971 until the series finale in 1993.

Riders In The Sky made a total of four guest appearances on *Hee Haw*, starting in 1984 during the show's sixteenth season.

## Riders In The Sky Appearances

* Season 16, Episode 14 (December 22nd, 1984)
* Season 17, Episode 26 (March 15th, 1986)
* Season 18, Episode 21 (February 21st, 1987)
* Season 21, Episode 5 (October 14th, 1989)

## Trivia

* In 1980, *Hee Haw* moved production to the studio facilities located at the Opryland theme park. Riders In The Sky's own television series, *Tumbleweed Theater*, would also be filmed at the park beginning in 1984 (though not in the same studio as *Hee Haw*).
I'm Going To Leave Old Texas Now

**I'm Going To Leave Old Texas Now** is a traditional American western song. During live shows, Riders In The Sky will invite all the children in the audience to come on-stage and sing *I'm Going To Leave Old Texas Now* with them, with Too Slim singing the verse first and the children repeating the line back. A studio recording replicating the live "call and response" version was made for the 1987 album *Saddle Pals*.

## Lyrics

*I'm going to leave*

*(I'm going to leave)*

*Old Texas now*

*(Old Texas now)*

*They've got no use*

*(They've got no use)*

*For the longhorn cow*

*(For the longhorn cow)*

*They've plowed and fenced*

*(They've plowed and fenced)*

*My cattle range*

*(My cattle range)*

*And the people there*

*(And the people there)*

*Are all so strange*

*(Are all so strange)*

*I'll bid adieu*

*(I'll bid adieu)*

*To the Alamo*

*(To the Alamo)*

*And turn my face*

*(And turn my face)*

*To Mexico*

*(To Mexico)*

*I'm going to leave*

*(I'm going to leave)*

*Old Texas now*

*(Old Texas now)*

*They've got no use*

*(They've got no use)*

*For the longhorn cow*

## Riders Recordings

* *Saddle Pals* (1987) (first recording)
* *Riders In The Sky* (1991 television series)
	+ *Sourdough's Surprise*
* *Live At The Sarsaparilla Saloon* (1999) (live performance)
Nevada

**Nevada** is a song written by Woody Paul and Karen Ritter, first recorded by Riders In The Sky for their 1982 album *Prairie Serenade*.

## Lyrics

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Silver and sagebrush*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Gamblin' and gold rush*

*Land of space and sunshine*

*Rockin' sky*

*People who know her love Nevada and here's why*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Ranches and ghost towns*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Mountains with snow crowns*

*Rodeos and railroads*

*Wild rugged land*

*Deep night sky with stars like silver sand*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Lake Mead and Tahoe*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Vegas and Reno*

*Land of dusty deserts*

*Icy cold clear lakes*

*Mustangs and juniper trees and rattlesnakes*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Silver and sagebrush*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Gamblin' and gold rush*

*The highest, widest country*

*The brightest, the best*

*Nevada, the diamond of the west*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Silver and sagebrush*

*Nevada*

*(Nevada)*

*Gamblin' and gold rush*

*The highest, widest country*

*The brightest, the best*

*Nevada, the diamond of the west*

## Riders Recordings

* *Prairie Serenade* (1982) (first recording)
* *Best of The West* (1987) (reuses *Prairie Serenade* recording)
* *Riders Radio Theater* (series)
	+ *Mystery of The Lost Ozone* Chapter Eleven (1988) (live performance)

## Trivia

* For the performance on *Riders Radio Theater*, the line "Vegas and Reno" was changed to "Vegas and Elko", as that particular episode was recorded at the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering event held in Elko.
Liza Jane & Sally Anne

**Liza Jane & Sally Anne** is a 1972 Bluegrass album by Doug Green, featuring Vic Jordan and The Buck White Family. It was Green's second album, following *In God's Eyes*, a Bluegrass/Gospel album which was also released in 1972. It was distributed by Old Homestead Records.

## Track List

### Side One

1. *Arkansas*
2. *Liza Jane*
3. *Steal Away And Pray*
4. *Rolling On*
5. *Childish Love*
6. *Tupelo County Jail*

### Side Two

1. *Beale Street Blues*
2. *You Won't Be Satified That Way*
3. *If You've Seen The Light*
4. *Sally Anne*
5. *Just For What I Am*
6. *Waiting For A Train*

## Credits

* Bill Ivey - Producer
* John Denny - Engineer
* TV Photographers - Album Design and Photography
Miss Marm

**Miss Marm** is Tumbleweed Valley's local schoolmarm, owner of an organic prune ranch, and frequently serves as the love interest of Ranger Doug.

First appearing on the *Meltdown On The Mesa* sketch on the *Riders Radio Theater* album, Miss Marm has been portrayed by several different people over the years, including Woody Paul, Roberta LaBour, Suzy Bogguss, and Reba McEntire.
David Skepner

**David Skepner** (Date of birth unknown-September 11, 2001) was the second manager of Riders In The Sky (from 1985 to 1997) and served as "the director" for *Riders Radio Theater* (1988-1995). Besides the Riders, Skepner was also known for managing Loretta Lynn from 1972 to 1986, The Dixie Chicks in the early 1990s, as well as Wylie & the Wild West, Goose Creek Symphony, The Larkins and Syd Masters & The Swing Riders.

In 1997, the Riders terminated their partnership with Skepner after it was discovered that he was taking checks intended for several of the acts he represented (the Riders included) and depositing it into his personal account.

On the evening of September 11th, 2001, Skepner died of a heart attack. While his exact age is unknown to the public, it was estimated that he was around 63 years old at the time of his death. In a private memorial service held for Skepner several months later, the Riders (minus Woody Paul) performed *This Ain't The Same Old Range*.

## Notes

* Skepner had earned the nickname of "The Commander" due to his fondness of wearing flight jackets and naval caps (as he was a member of of the Tailhook Assn. and the Assn. of Naval Aviators).
* Paul Corbin "fired" the Riders from TNN and *Tumbleweed Theater* in 1985 after he discovered Skepner was their new manager. Corbin and Skepner later reconciled their differences in the mid-1990s, and the Riders were given several television specials in return.
To Infinity And Beyond

**To Infinity And Beyond** is a song written by Fred "Too Slim" LaBour for Riders In The Sky's 2000 album *Woody's Roundup: A Rootin' Tootin' Collection of Woody's Favorite Songs*. Within the universe of *Toy Story*, the song is the anthem of the character Buzz Lightyear.

## Lyrics

*To infinity and beyond*

*We're blasting through the dawn*

*To another galaxy*

*Won't you come along with me*

*To infinity and beyond*

*To infinity and beyond*

*Turn those thrusters on*

*Faster than the speed of light*

*We will carry the fight*

*To infinity and beyond*

*Good guys*

*We can fly*

*Far across*

*The starry sky*

*Past the moon*

*And past the sun*

*With no good deed left undone*

*There is a place*

*In outer space*

*Where you can join in the fun*

*To infinity and beyond*

*We will sing this song*

*So say good-bye*

*Now it's time to fly*

*To infinity and beyond*

*Good guys*

*We can fly*

*Far across*

*The starry sky*

*Past the moon*

*And past the sun*

*With no good deed left undone*

*There is a place*

*In outer space*

*Where you can join in the fun*

*To infinity and beyond*

*We will sing this song*

*So say good-bye*

*Now it's time to fly*

*To infinity and beyond*

*So say good-bye*

*Now it's time to fly*

*To infinity and beyond*

## Riders Recordings

* *Woody's Roundup: A Rootin' Tootin' Collection of Woody's Favorite Songs* (2000)

## Trivia

* William Shatner performed the song during the end credits of the direct-to-video animated film *Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins*, released in August of 2000.
	+ The song was included during the Buzz Lightyear sequence of the 2005 live show *Disney On Ice: Disneyland Adventure*, sung by Pat Fraley (as Buzz Lightyear).
	+ Tim Allen (the primary voice of Buzz Lightyear in the *Toy Story* films) recorded a cover of the song for the 2009 live show *Disney Live! Mickey's Rockin' Road Show*.

## External Links

* To Infinity And Beyond on the Disney Wiki
Nashville Now

**Nashville Now** was an American talk show hosted by Nashville disk jockey Ralph Emery that aired on The Nashville Network from March 7th, 1983 to October 15th, 1993. The show followed a similar format to other late night talk shows (like *The Tonight Show* or *The Late Show*), though it was specifically focused on the world of country music and Nashville entertainers in general. Over the course of the show's 10 year run, Riders In The Sky made several appearances.

## List of Riders In The Sky Appearances

*NOTE: This list is incomplete as of 7/9/2022. This current appearance list is verified through the publicly available Country Music Hall of Fame records, and any additional information submitted by users must be verified by the moderator before publication here.*

* March 7th/8th, 1983 (first appearance)
	+ The first episode of *Nashville Now* was also the first program ever broadcast by The Nashville Network. It was a live five-hour special that not only featured guest performances, but preview clips of other Nashville Network series. Riders In The Sky appeared midway into the special's fourth hour, where they discussed *Tumbleweed Theater* and presented a clip of them performing *Back In The Saddle Again*.
* December 19th, 1984
	+ Riders performance information unavailable. In Emery's absence, Johnny Cash was guest host of this episode. Grandpa Jones was also a guest for this show.
* Early April, 1987 (exact date unknown)
	+ Riders performance information unavailable.
* January 11th, 1989
	+ Riders performance information unavailable.
* March 6th, 1990
	+ Riders performance information unavailable.
* September 12th, 1990
	+ Riders perform *Ride, Cowboy, Ride*, *Livin' In A Mobile Home*, and *What Would I Do Without You?* (promoting *Horse Opera*)
* November 27th, 1990
	+ Joey Miskulin (without the other Riders) appeared as part of Michael Martin Murphey's band.
* December 4th, 1990
	+ Riders perform *Blue Shadows On The Trail*, *The Arms of My Love*, and *The Christmas Yodel* (promoting *Christmas The Cowboy Way* special).
* April 17th, 1991
	+ Riders appear in *Star Catcher Opry* segment.
* December 2nd, 1991
	+ Riders perform *Homecoming Yodel*, *Riding Home On Christmas Eve* (with Michael Martin Murphey), *Merry Christmas From Harmony Ranch*, and *The Cowboy Christmas Ball* (with Michael Martin Murphey, Don Edwards, and Waddie Mitchell) (promoting rebroadcast of *Christmas The Cowboy Way* special).
		- Joey Miskulin also appears in this episode as part of Michael Martin Murphey's band.
* May 20th, 1993
	+ Riders performance information unavailable.

## Trivia

* *Nashville Now* was taped at Opryland's Gaslight Theater, the same location where seasons two and three of *Tumbleweed Theater* were taped.
Turbo

**Turbo** (also called "**The Amazing Turbo**") is Ranger Doug's Palomino horse in the Riders In The Sky "mythology" (*Riders Radio Theater*, *Riders In The Sky*, and *The Cartoon Cowboys*). In his younger years, Turbo was originally named **Beetlebomb**, but once his owner ("Deputy Doug") passed his Ranger Correspondence Test and officially became Ranger Doug, Master Yodel changed the name as he thought "Beetlebomb" was a silly name for a Ranger's horse.

Turbo's first known "appearance" was in *Riders Radio Theater: Meltdown On The Mesa* Episode 1.

## Notes

* It's possible that Turbo was Ranger Doug's horse seen in the opening of *Tumbleweed Theater*, though this remains unconfirmed.

## See Also

* Birkenstock & Argyle (Too Slim's horses)
* Yugo (Woody Paul's horse)

1. ↑ *Riders Radio Theater: Phantom of The Valley Episode Three*
Ghost Train

**Ghost Train** is a song written by Fred "Too Slim" LaBour, first recorded and performed by Riders In The Sky for the 2002 album *Ridin' The Tweetsie Railroad*.

## Lyrics

*Ghost train*

*The train slides into the station at midnight*

*Just a couple of shadowy shapes are waitin' there*

*The conductor beckons a boney finger*

*Says "all aboard, if you dare"*

*Ride the ghost train*

*Igor takes your suitcase*

*And Dracula shows you to your seat*

*Right between Frankenstein and the Wolf Man*

*"Here's a couple of my friends I'd like you to meet! Hahahaha!"*

*On the ghost train*

*On the ghost train*

*Goblins, ghost, and ghouls all ridin' next to you*

*On the ghost train*

*I was thirsty, so I eased on up to the club car*

*I thought I'd get a sip of something cool*

*Three witches were workin' 'round a cauldron*

*They said "We're stirrin' something special up for you! Hehehe!"*

*On the ghost train*

*On the ghost train*

*Barrelin' down a midnight track*

*Never will be coming back*

*Ghost train*

*When the Grim Reaper stopped to punch my ticket*

*I said "That's it man, I'm gettin' out of here!"*

*Everybody laughed, I said "What's so funny about that?"*

*And they said "The Devil himself is the engineer! Hahahaha!"*

*He's driving the ghost train*

*He's driving the ghost train*

*You'll never get off the ghost train*

*"Might as well make yourself comfortable!"*

*So if you're ever up in the woods at midnight*

*In the fearsome fog and the drizzling rain*

*And you hear a whistle split the air*

*But you know there ain't no tracks up there*

*Yeah, it's the ghost train*

*You're hearing the ghost train*

*It's the ghost train*

*The fiends are shoveling coal and the devil's got your soul*

*On the ghost train*

*Ridin' the ghost train*

*You're on the ghost train*

*Ghost train*

(SPOKEN)

"Would you like to visit the observation car?"

"Next stop, Cucamonga. No, you won't be getting off... Hahahaha..."

## Trivia

* The final line of the song features Too Slim uttering the phrase "Next stop, Cucamonga", which was a line popularized by voice actor and comedian Mel Blanc on *The Jack Benny Show* in the mid 1940s. Blanc later used the phrase in several *Looney Tunes* shorts, where the already popular line received even more exposure.
Tumbling Tumbleweeds

**Tumbling Tumbleweeds** is a song written by Bob Nolan in 1934 (though it had been originally as a poem by Nolan under the title "Tumbling Leaves" in 1932), popularized by The Sons of The Pioneers through numerous live performances on radio early in their career. Riders In The Sky first recorded the song for their 1982 album *Weeds And Water*.

## Lyrics

*I'm a roamin' cowboy*

*Ridin' all day long*

*Tumbleweeds around me*

*Hear my lonely song*

*Nights underneath a prairie moon*

*I ride along and sing a tune*

*See them tumbling down*

*Pledging their love to the ground*

*Lonely but free I'll be found*

*Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds*

*Cares of the past are behind*

*Nowhere to go but I'll find*

*Just where the trail will wind*

*Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds*

*Oh I know when night has gone*

*That a new world's born at dawn*

*I'll keep rolling along*

*Deep in my heart is a song*

*Here on the range I belong*

*Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds*

*Oh I know when night has gone*

*That a new world's born at dawn*

*I'll keep rolling along*

*Deep in my heart is a song*

*Here on the range I belong*

*Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds*

*Drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds*

## Riders Recordings

* *Weeds And Water* (1982) (first recording)
* *Western Songs* (1985) (reuses *Weeds And Water* recording)
* *Best of The West* (1987) (reuses *Weeds And Water* recording)
* *Riders Radio Theater* (series)
	+ *Meltdown On The Mesa* Chapter One (1988)
* *Cowboy Songs* (1996) (reuses *Weeds And Water* recording)
* *Silver Jubilee* (2003) (new recording)
* *"Lassoed Live" At The Schermerhorn With The Nashville Symphony* (2009) (live recording)
* *Daytrotter Sessions: Riders In The Sky* (2013) (new recording)
Jessie Polka

**Jessie Polka** is a Mexican polka which was written by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés and originally published under the title of **Jesusita en Chihuahua**. In 1938, the song was adapted by American swing band Cliff Bruner & The Texas Wanderers and re-titled as "The Jessie Polka". Riders In The Sky recorded the song as an instrumental for their 2001 album *A Pair of Kings*.

## Trivia

* The song is listed under it's original title (*Jesusita en Chihuahua*) in the Recording Dates section of *It's The Cowboy Way! The Amazing True Adventures of Riders In The Sky*.
That's How The Yodel Was Born

**That's How The Yodel Was Born** is a song written by Ranger Doug, first recorded and performed by Riders In The Sky on their first album, *Three On The Trail*, in 1980.

## Lyrics

*When you hear a cowboy yodeling a song of open-range*

*Your heart leaps up to hear a stirring tale*

*But did you ever wonder why at the end of his refrain*

*Why does his voice leap in a mournful wail*

*Well, the story as is told to me, was handed down through history*

*Of a singing cowboy who was brave enough to try*

*To ride the meanest old cayuse, it bucked him off right at the shoot*

*And left him spinnin' way up in the sky*

*The bronco jumped up and the cowboy came down*

*They met at the old saddle horn*

*It made a deep impression you could say it changed his life*

*And that's how the yodel was born*

(YODELING)

## Variations

Following Ranger Doug's recovery from the unknown illness in March of 1994 that temporarily rendered him mute for several weeks, it was discovered he could no longer reach and hold the final note performed at the end of *That's How The Yodel Was Born*. This forced the Riders to revise the song's yodeling portion, with Woody Paul, Too Slim, and Ranger Doug now performing small selections that are then "traded" in the finale between the three.

## Riders Recordings

* *Three On The Trail* (1980) (first recording)
* *Weeds And Water* (1983) (new recording)
* *Western Songs* (1985) (reuses *Weeds And Water* recording)
* *Best of The West* (1987) (reuses *Weeds And Water* recording)
* *The Cowboy Way* (1987) (live performance)
* *Saturday Morning With Riders In The Sky* (1992) (reuses The Cowboy Way recording)
* *Yodel The Cowboy Way* (1998) (reuses *Weeds And Water* recording)
* *Silver Jubilee* (2002) (new recording)

## Trivia

* According to Ranger Doug, the official record for the longest time he held the long note near the end of the song was 39.9 seconds, though he claims to have done it longer previously.

1. ↑ *Youth Wants To Know* (Archived from the official Riders In The Sky website)
Prairie Serenade (album)

**Prairie Serenade** was the third studio album by Western band Riders In The Sky, released by Rounder Records in 1982.

## Track List

1. *Prairie Serenade*
2. *Jingle Jangle Jingle*
3. *Blue Shadows On The Trail*
4. *Pretty Prairie Princess*
5. *Cowpoke*
6. *Nevada*
7. *Down The Trail To San Antone*
8. *I Ride An Old Paint*
9. *Utah Trail*
10. *Old El Paso*
11. *Chasing The Sun*
12. *Home On The Range*

## Credits

### Riders In The Sky

* Ranger Doug (Douglas B. Green) - Guitar, vocals
* Too Slim (Fred LaBour) - Bunkhouse bass, guitar, accordion (downwind), vocals
* Woody Paul (Paul Chrisman) - Fiddle, gut string guitar, accordion (upwind) , harmonica, mandolin, vocals

### Additional Musicians

* Louis Brown - Horns
* Kenny Malone - Percussion
* Kayton Roberts - Steel guitar

### Studio

* Fred LaBour - Producer
* Woody Paul - Producer
* Todd Cerney - Engineer
* Denny Purcell - Master (Woodland Studios; Nashville, TN)

### Other

* Bob Oermann - Cover artist and graphics
* Jim McGuire - Front cover photography
* Gray Hawn - Back cover photography
* Susan Marsh - Album design

## 1991 Reissue Description

*Riders In The Sky could be straight out of a Western movie, where campfire coyotes crack the calm of the lone prairie. With their three-part harmonies, acoustic guitar, string bass and fiddle, they recreate the romance of the great American West. Western music, unlike its first cousin Country & Western, perfectly expressed the cowboy philosophy as whimsically represented here on* Prairie Serenade.

## Recording Dates

* April 5th, 1982 (Quadraphonic Studios; Nashville, TN)
	+ *Blue Shadows On The Trail*
	+ *Cowpoke*
	+ *Home On The Range*
* April 6th, 1982 (Quadraphonic Studios; Nashville, TN)
	+ *Chasing The Sun*
	+ *I Ride An Old Paint*
	+ *Old El Paso*
	+ *Pretty Prairie Princess*
	+ *Prairie Serenade*
	+ *Nevada*
	+ *Utah Trail*
	+ *Jingle Jangle Jingle*
	+ *Down The Trail To San Antone*
Argyle

**Argyle** was a Pinto owned by Too Slim. At some point prior to 1993, something happened to Argyle that led to Slim acquiring another horse, one which he named Birkenstock.

## Notes

* Argyle was Too Slim's horse used in *Riders Radio Theater* from 1988 to 1993. While the exact time of him switching to Birkenstock is unknown, one of the earliest mentions of Birkenstock (by name) was in the *Riders Radio Theater* segment of the *A Riders In The Sky Christmas* television special.

1. ↑ *Riders Radio Theater*: *Phantom of The Valley* Chapter Three
Back In The Saddle Again

**Back In The Saddle Again** is a song written by Ray Whitley and Gene Autry, first performed by Whitley in the 1938 film *Boarder G-Man*. Riders In The Sky first recorded the song for the 1981 album *Cowboy Jubilee*.

## Lyrics

*I'm back in the saddle again*

*Out where a friend is a friend*

*Where the longhorn cattle feed on the lowly jimson weed*

*Back in the saddle again*

*I'm riding the range once more*

*Totin' my old fourty-four*

*Where we sleep out every night and the only law is right*

*Back in the saddle again*

*Whoopie-tie-yi-yo*

*Rockin' to and fro'*

*Back in the saddle again*

*Whoopie-tie-yi-yay*

*I go my way*

*Back in the saddle again*

(YODELING)

## Riders Recordings

* *Cowboy Jubilee* (1981) (first recording)
* *Western Songs* (1985) (reuses *Cowboy Jubilee* recording)
* *Best of The West Rides Again* (1987) (reuses *Cowboy Jubilee* recording)
* *The Cowboy Way* (1987) (live performance)
* *Riders Radio Theater* (series)
	+ *Meltdown On The Mesa* Chapter One (1988) (live performance)
* *Saturday Morning With Riders In The Sky* (1992) (reuses *The Cowboy Way* recording)
* *Cowboy Songs* (1996) (reuses *Cowboy Jubilee* recording)
* *Public Cowboy #1: The Music of Gene Autry* (1996) (new recording)
* *Silver Jubilee* (2003) (new recording)
* *"Lassoed Live" At The Schermerhorn With The Nashville Symphony* (2009) (live performance)
* *America’s Favorite Cowboy Songs* (2012) (reuses *Silver Jubilee* recording)

## Notes

* *Back In The Saddle Again* is the final song in the Gene Autry Tribute Medley.

## Trivia

* *Back In The Saddle Again* was the first song ever performed by Riders In The Sky during their first show on November 11th, 1977.
Woody Paul

### Aliases

Woody Paul, "King of The Cowboy Fiddlers", "High Priest of The Hemp", "King of The Clothesline"

### Occupation

Musician (fiddle player, songwriter and vocalist of Riders In The Sky)

### Associated Acts

Riders In The Sky (since 1978)
Loggins & Messina (1977-1978)

**Doctor Paul Woodrow Chrisman** (born August 23, 1949), known professionally as **Woody Paul**, is an American fiddle player, singer, song writer, and holder of a PhD in theoretical plasma physics. In 1978, he joined Riders In The Sky shortly after the departure of founding member William "Windy Bill" Collins.

## Characters

* Drywall Paul (*Tumbleweed Theater*, *Riders Radio Theater*, *Horse Opera*, *Silver Jubilee*)
* Miss Marm (*Riders Radio Theater (album)*)
* Alfalfa (*Tumbleweed Theater*)
* Elizabeth "Not The Queen" (*Riders Radio Theater (series)*, *Riders Go Commercial*)

## Bibliography

* *Riders In The Sky: The Book* (1992) (select chapters)
* *It's The Cowboy Way! The Amazing True Adventures of Riders In The Sky* (2003) (only *Woody's Story*)

## Trivia

* Woody is the only member of Riders In The Sky to not have a solo album.