A Cowboy Legend

An old cowboy went ridin' out one dark and windy dayUpon a ridge he rested as he went along his wayWhen all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he sawPlowin' through the ragged skies, and up a cloudy draw

Yipie i-oh, yipie i-ay! The Ghost Herd in the sky

Their brands were still on fire, and their hooves were made of steelTheir horns were black and shiny and their hot breath he could feelA bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the skyFor he saw the riders comin' hard, and he heard their mournful cry

Yipie i-oh, yipie i-ay! Ghost riders in the sky

Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred their shirts all soaked with sweatThey're ridin' hard to catch that herd, but they ain't caught 'em yet''Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the skyOn horses snorting fire, as they ride on hear their cry

Yipie i-oh, yipie i-ay! Ghost riders in the sky

As the riders rode on by him he heard one call his name"If you want to save your soul from hell a riding on our rangeThen cowboy change your ways today, or with us you will rideTryin' to catch the devil's herd, across these endless skies"

Yipie i-oh, yipie i-ay! Ghost riders in the skyGhost riders in the skyGhost riders in the sky

In 1926, an impressionable 12 year-old boy rode to the top of an Arizona hill one afternoon with an old cowboy friend to check a windmill. A big storm was building and they needed to lock the blades down before the wind hit.

When finished, they paused to watch the clouds darken and spread across the sky. As lightning flashed, the old cowboy told the boy to watch closely and he would see the devil's herd. Their eyes red and hooves flashing, would stampede ahead of phantom horsemen. The old cowboy warned the youth that if he didn't watch himself, he would someday be up there with them, chasing steers for all eternity.

As the storm worsened into the worst he had ever seen, the terrified boy jumped on his horse and took off for the the safety of home. Years later, he recalled that scary, dark afternoon. On his 34th birthday, 1948, Stan Jones sat outside his Death Valley home and wrote this song. Eight months later, Burl Ives recorded the first version of it. Since then it's been recorded countless times.

Verse 1:

(Am)An old cowboy went ridin' out (Am) one dark and (C) windy day

Up (Am) on a ridge he rested (Am) as he went on his way

(Am) when all at once a (Am) mighty herd of (Am) red eyed cows he saw

Above (F) him in the ragged (Bm) sk----ies and up a cloudy (Am) draw.

Chorus:

(C) Yipie I yay (C) Yipi I (Am) yo

(F) Ghost riders in (Bm) the (Am) sky

And thats all there is to it!

Here are the rest of the verses without the chords which are the same as above, I'm a bit rushed too!

Verse 2:

Their brands were still on fire and thier hooves were made of steelTheir horns were black and shiny and their hot breath you could feelA bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the skyFor he saw the riders coming hard and he heard their mornfull cry.

Chorus same as before

Verse 3:

Their face was drawn their eyes were blurred their shirts were soakedwith sweatTheir tryin hard to catch that herd but they aint caught em yetCause you,ve got to ride forever on that range up in the the skyOn horses snorting fire as they rode on hear their cry.

Chorus same as before

Verse 4:

As the riders loaped on by him he heard one call his nameIf you want to save your soul from hell a riding on our rangeCow-boy change your ways today or with us you will rideTryin to catch the devils herd across this moonlit sky

Final chorus same as before