I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande)

(Formerly The Ol'Kunnel's Bar And Grill)

This solo effort by Johnny Mercer was his first big Hollywood hit song. Sung by Bing Crosby in the 1936 film, "Rhythm On The Range," and later recorded with the Jimmy Dorsey band, it was a smash hit for Crosby, reaching and holding the Number 2 spot for 4 weeks. Roy Rogers took his turn at singing this satiric lyric in the 1943 film, "King Of The Cowboys." The song was included in ASCAP's 1936 Hit Song List and Variety's 50 Year Hit Parade.


	As a young Naval Aviation Cadet I spent about four days in New York City awaiting assignment to Naval pre-Flight school. It was a four hour wait to get into the theater where Frank Sinatra was appearing, so I opted to see Jimmy Dorsey. I was up in the third balcony of a very packed theater. (after a two hour wait to get in) Jimmy put on a great show, and the drummer "Gene Kruppa" (sp?) was a guest star. He had just gotten out of prison on a "Pot"charge. He held the audience spellbound with a drum number using a match box, and two kitchen matches held close to a microphone. On the last lick of the number he lit the matches. Jimmy Dorsey was married to movie actress Patricia Dane at the time, and he brought her out on to the stage and introduced her. She was wearing a full length mink coat, high heel shoes, and had a small bandage across the top of one of her feet. She gratefully acknowledged the "Hand" the crowd gave her. as she slowly walked off the stage her limp gave her a very provocative swing of her hips. The huge theater was almost deathly silent as a crowd of mostly servicemen watched her. Suddenly someone gave a low wolf whistle, and the crowd exploded in applause and laughter. Jimmy rose to the occasion by saying "Not bad eh ? And with a trombone yet." Remmel (aka the Storyteller)

16:33 7/6/2004 (update)

Step aside you ornery Tender feet.
Let a big bad buckeroo past.
I'm the toughest hombre you'll ever meet
tho' I may be the last.
Yessiree, we're a vanishing race.
Nosirree, can't last long.
Step aside you ornery Tender feet
while I sing my song.

(Chorus)
I'm An Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande,
but my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tanned.
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow,
never roped a steer 'cause I don't know how,
and I sho' ain't fixin' to start in now.
Yippy I O Ki Ay, Yippy I O Ki Ay.

(Chorus 2)
I'm An Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande,
and I learned to ride 'fore I learned to stand.
I'm a ridin' fool who is up to date,
I know every trail in the Lone Star State,
'cause I ride the range in a Ford V Eight.
Yippy I O Ki Ay, Yippy I O Ki Ay.

(Chorus 3)
I'm An Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande,
and I come to town just to hear the band.
I know all the songs that the cowboys know,
'bout the big corral where the doagies go,
'cause I learned them all on the radio.
Yippy I O Ki Ay, Yippy I O Ki Ay.

(Chorus 4)
I'm An Old Cowhand from the Rio Grande,
where the West is wild 'round the Borderland,
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo,
and the Indians make you a rug or two,
and the old Bar X is a Bar-B-Q.
Yippy I O Ki Ay, Yippy I O Ki Ay.

Music provided by: Arrangement by David Jenkins.

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