Posted by Tiger Don’t know the key Gene was singing. A review of his sheet music shows just about any key, but D was pretty common. Anyway, I assume you can transpose. Also, not sure just which version he used. I was [D]standin’ ‘round town just a-[A7]spendin’ my time, I was laying around, just spending my time
on March 11, 2007, 5:18 pm, in reply to "strawberry roan"
There are many versions, Syd. I suspect this is mainly do to the length of the song - it gets shortened for performance by shoehorning verses together (e.g., Marty Robbins). The first is very close to the way it’s sung by Cisco Houston, and is the way I do it. The second is purported to be Curley Fletcher’s original, received from a family member. Curly’s version apparently doesn’t use a break.
Written by Curley Fletcher, 1915
Nothin’ else to spend, not [D]even a dime
When a [D7]feller steps up and he [G]says, “I suppose
You’re a [A7]bronc’ bustin’ man by the [D]looks of your clothes.”
“You guessed me right, and a [A7]good one,” I claim,
“Do you happen to have any [D]bad ones to tame?”
He says, “I’ve [D7]got one and a [G]bad one to buck;
At [A7]throwin’ bronc’ riders he’s had lots of [D]luck.”Well, it’s [A7]oh, that strawberry [D]roan, [D7] [G]oh, that strawberry [D]roan!
I gets all excited and I ask what he pays
He [G]says, “This old pony ain’t never been [D]rode,
And the [G]boy that gets on him is sure to get [D]throwed.”
[A7]Oh, that strawberry [D]roan!
To ride this old goat for a couple of days.
He offers a ten spot. I says, “I’m your man,
For the bronc’ never lived that I couldn’t fan;
No, the bronc’ never lived, nor he never drew breath
That I couldn’t ride till be starved plumb to death.”
He says, “Get your saddle, I’ll give you a chance.”
We got in the buckboard and rode to the ranch.Well, it’s oh, that strawberry roan, oh, that strawberry roan!
Well, down in the horse corral standing alone,
We stayed until morning, and right after chuck
We goes out to see how that outlaw could buck.
Oh, that strawberry roan!
Was that old caballo, old strawberry roan.
His legs were spavined, and he had pigeon toes,
Little pig eyes and a big Roman nose,
Little pin ears that were crimped at the tip,
With a big 44 branded ‘cross his left hip;
He’s ewe-necked and old, with a long lower jaw,
You can see with one eye he’s a reg’lar outlaw.Well, it’s oh, that strawberry roan, oh, that strawberry roan!
Well I puts on my spurs and I coils up my twine,
He’s ewe-necked and old, with a long lower jaw,
You can see with one eye he’s a reg’lar outlaw.
Oh, that strawberry roan!
I piles my loop on him, I’m sure feeling fine.
I piled my loop on him, and well I knew then,
If I rode this old pony, I’d sure earn my ten,
I put the blinds on him, it sure was a fight,
Next comes my saddle, I screws her down tight
I gets in his middle and opens the blind,
I’m right in his middle to see him unwind.Well, it’s oh, that strawberry roan, oh, that strawberry roan!
He went up towards the east and came down towards the west,
He lowered his old neck and I think he unwound
He seemed to quit living down there on the ground
Oh, that strawberry roan!
To stay in his middle I’m doin’ my best,
He’s about the worst bucker I’ve seen on the range
He can turn on a nickel and give you some change.
He turns his old belly right up to the sun
He sure is one sun-fishin’ son of a gun!
I’ll tell you, no foolin’, this pony can step,
But I’m still in his middle and buildin’ a rep.Well, it’s oh, that strawberry roan, oh, that strawberry roan!
I loses my stirrup and also my hat,
He goes up on all fours and comes down on his side
I don’t know what keeps him from losin’ his hide
Oh, that strawberry roan!
I starts pulling leather, I’m blind as a bat;
With a big forward jump he goes up on high
Leaves me sittin’ on nothin’ way up in the sky
I turns over twice, and I comes back to earth
I lights in a-cussin’ the day of his birth
I know there is ponies I’m unable to ride
Some are still living, they haven’t all died.Well, it’s oh, that strawberry roan, oh, that strawberry roan!
I’ll bet all my money the man ain’t alive
That can stay with old strawberry when he makes his high dive.
Oh, that strawberry roan.
Out of a job and ain’t holding a dime
When a fellow steps up, and sez I suppose
That you’re uh bronk fighter by the looks of your clothes
--------(line missing?)
Do you happen tuh have any bad uns tuh tame?
He sez he’s got one, , uh bad un tuh buck
An’ fur throwing good riders hes had lots uh luck
He sez that this pony has never been rode
That the boys that gets on im was bound tuh get throwed
Well I gets all excited an’asks what he pays
Tuh ride this old pony for uh couple of days
He offers a ten spot.Sez I, I’m yure man
Cause the bronk never lived that I couldn’t fan
No hoss ever lived he never drew breath
That I couldn’t ride till he’starved plum tuh death
I don’t like to brag, but I’ve got this tuh say
That I aint been piled fur many uh day
So I gets in his buckboard an’ drifts tuh his ranch
I stays until morning an’ right after chuck
I step out tuh see if that outlaw kin buck
Down in the hoss corral, standing alone
Was this caballo uh the strawberry roan
His laigs are all spavined an’ hes got pigeon toes
Little pig eyes and uh big roman nose
Little pin ears that touch at the tip
An’uh double square iron stamped on his hip
Yew necked an’ old with uh long lower jaw
I kin see with one eye he’s a reg’lar outlaw
I puts on my spurs-I’m sure feelin fine
Turns up muh hat an’picks up muh twine
I throws that loop on im, an’well I knows then
That before he gets rode I’ll sure earn my ten
I gets my blinds on im an’ it sure was a fight
Next comes muh saddle-I screws it down tight
An’then I piles on im, an’raises the blind
I’m right in his middle tuh see im unwind
Well he bows his old neck, an’ I guess he unwound
Fur he seem tuh quit living down on the ground
He goes up toward the east and comes down toward the west
Tuh stay in the saddle I’m doing my best
He sure is frog walking, he heaves uh big sigh
He only lacks wings, fur tuh be on the fly
He turns his old belly right up toward the sun
He sure is uh sun-fishing son- of- uh- gun
He is the worst bucker I’ve seen on the range
He can turn on uh nickle and give yuh some change
While he’s uh buckin he squeals like uh shoat
I tell yuh that pony has sure go muh goat
I claim that, no foolin that bronk could sure step
I’m still in muh saddle, uh building uh rep
He hit on all four an’suns up his side
I don’t see how he keeps from shedding his hide
I loses muh stirrup an’ also muh hat
I’m grabbing the leather an’ blind as a bat
With uh phenomenal jump, he goes up on high
An’I’m sitting on nothing way up in the sky
An’then I turn over, I come back tuh earth
An’lights into cussing the day of his birth
Then I knows that the hosses I ain’t able tuh ride
Is some of them living- they haven’t all died
But I bets all of muh money they ain’t no man alive
Kin stay with that bronk when he makes that high dive.
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