This week, Jim’s looking for a childhood memory for Song Lyric Sunday. Firstly, define childhood: I think pre-teen is reasonable for this stage of development. That takes me to mid-1965, strictly speaking, but I’ve gone a bit earlier, because the Fab Four changed everything in 1963.

Way back then, our radio options were very limited. It was the BBC or nothing, and there were only three ‘programmes’ to choose from: Home (upmarket but cosy and undemanding); the Light programme for the masses, also cosy and undemanding, and the Third programme – highbrow: classical music and Test Match Special.

On Saturday mornings on the Light programme – to which our family radio was always tuned – there was a programme called ‘Children’s Favourites’. Introduced by ‘Uncle Mac’. It played requests.

I remember a couple of tunes in particular from those Saturday mornings. One is ‘Three Wheels On My Wagon’ by the New Christy Minstrels. I listened to it again for what passes as research for this post. Let’s just say that, in terms of casual racism and misogyny, it was ‘of its time’.

Which leaves me with this:

An old cowboy went ridin’ out one dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw
Plowin’ through the ragged skies, and up a cloudy draw

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny, and their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky
For he saw the riders coming hard, and he heard their mournful cry

Yippie-yi-oh, yippie-yi-aie!
Ghost riders in the sky

Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, their shirts all soaked with sweat
He’s ridin’ hard to catch that herd, but he ain’t caught ’em yet
‘Cause they’ve got to ride forever on that range up in the sky
On horses snortin’ fire, as they ride on, hear their cry

As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name
“If you wanna save your soul from Hell, a-ridin’ on our range
Then cowboy, change your ways today, or with us you will ride
Tryin’ to catch the Devil’s herd, across these endless skies”

Yippie-yi-oh, yippie-yi-aie!
Ghost riders in the sky.

Written by Stanley Jones

Song Lyric Sunday 15 September 2024