Old Song........

[Bob Wright]

Last Sunday morning, in the interval between Sunday School and Church services, a man came to me to help identify a song. Now this man can play "Home on the Range" on the harmonica like the opening music of a western movie. The kind of background music when the screen shows a calm range up in Montana or Wyoming.

Anyway, he sort of sings, very lowly, part of the song. I recognize it, but takes a few seconds to come forth from my memory banks. It's a song called "Night Herdin' Song."

The lines he sang:

"I've trail herded, night herded, cross herded too

to keep you together is something I can't do

There are some interesting men at my church!

Bob Wright

 

[Critch]

The Night Herding Song

BY HARRY STEPHENS

Oh, slow up, dogies, quit your roving round,
You have wandered and tramped all over the ground;
Oh, graze along, dogies, and feed kinda slow,
And don't forever be on the go,--
Oh, move slow, dogies, move slow.

Hi-oo, hi-oo, oo-oo.

I have circle-herded, trail-herded, night-herded, and cross-herded, too,
But to keep you together, that's what I can't do;
My horse is leg weary and I'm awful tired,
But if I let you get away I'm sure to get fired,--
Bunch up, little dogies, bunch up.

Hi-oo, hi-oo, oo-oo.

O say, little dogies, when you goin' to lay down
And quit this forever siftin' around?
My limbs are weary, my seat is sore;
Oh, lay down, dogies, like you've laid before,--
Lay down, little dogies, lay down.

Hi-oo, hi-oo, oo-oo.

Oh, lay still, dogies, since you have laid down,
Stretch away out on the big open ground;
Snore loud, little dogies, and drown the wild sound
That will all go away when the day rolls round,--
Lay still, little dogies, lay still.

Hi-oo, hi-oo, oo-oo.


I think Ramblin' Jack Elliott's version is the one most people have heard.

 

[Critch]

Here's a link to a YouTube video with Roy Rogers singing it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u00Y11x16V0