I'm An Old Cowhand

Words & Music:

Johnny Mercer

 

Thanks to correspondent Tony W., who found the intro chords on Jom Bottdorff's Banjo Page!

 

       C       G7     C           G7    C        G7       C

Step aside you ornery Tenderfeet, let a big, bad buckeroo past.

G7      C        G7            C                   Em    B7   Em  Am

I'm the toughest hombre you'll ever meet, though I may be the last.

Am         C+      G7        C     Am       D9          Dm7  G7

Yes-sirree we're a vanishing race, no-sirree can't last long.

G7     C        G7     C                  D9   G7 F   C

Step aside, you ornery Tenderfeet while I sing my song.

 

C             F6   G7           C

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande,

C                 F6           G7           C

But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned,

       Am               Em

I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow,

Am                           Em

Never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how,

      Am                   Em      

And I sho' ain't fixin' to start in now.

F6       G7   C  Am    F6       G7   C

 Yippie-i-o-ky-ay---!  Yippie-i-o-ky-ay!

 

 

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande & I learned to ride 'fore I learned to stand,

I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date, I know ev'ry trail in the Lone Star State,

'Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-Eight. Yippie-i-o-ky-ay! Yippie-i-o-ky-ay!

 

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande & I come to town just to hear the band,

I know all the songs that the cowboys know 'Bout the big corral where the dogies go,

'Cause I learned them all on the radio. Yippie-i-o-ky-ay! Yippie-i-o-ky-ay!

 

I'm and old cowhand from the Rio Grande Where the West is wild 'round the Border land,

Where the buffalo roam around the Zoo, And the old Bar X is a Bar B Q

And the Indians all shout "Boop-boop-a-doo!",  . Yippie-i-o-ky-ay! Yippie-i-o-ky-ay!

 

INSTRUMENTAL FOR FIRST TWO LINES OF VERSE:

I'm a pioneer who was raised from scratch, don't give a damn if my shoes don't match

They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch, Yippie-i-o-ky-ay! Yippie-i-o-ky-ay!

 





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