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Origins: Ten Thousand Cattle Straying
| Artful Codger | 01 Nov 06 - 10:27 PM | |
| Q (Frank Staplin) | 01 Nov 06 - 11:06 PM | |
| Artful Codger | 02 Nov 06 - 09:03 PM | |
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Origins: Ten Thousand Cattle Straying
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Subject: Origins: Ten Thousand Cattle Straying From: Artful Codger Date: 01 Nov 06 - 10:27 PM "Ten Thousand Cattle Straying" (alternatively titled "Dead Broke") was written by Owen Wister, best known as the author of The Virginian. This song is the precursor to "Ten Thousand Cattle" and "Ten Thousand Goddam Cattle". You can find scans of the original sheet music here at the University of Colorado Digital Sheet Music Collection. I have transcribed the text, melody and chords below. Ten Thousand Cattle Straying (Dead Broke) Words and music by Owen Wister, 1904 Sung as an incidental feature in Kirke La Shelle's production "The Virginian" Published by M. Witmark & Sons 1. Ten thousand cattle straying, They quit my range and travell'd away, And it's "sons of guns" is what I say, I am dead broke, dead broke this day. Chorus: chorus: Dead broke. [half spoken] solo: In gambling hells delaying. chorus: Dead broke. [half spoken] solo: Ten thousand cattle straying. chorus: And it's "sons of guns" is what I say They've rustled my pile, my pile away. 2. My girl she has went straying, She quite me too and travell'd away, With a "son of a gun" from Ioway, I'm a lone man, lone man this day. 3. So I've took to card playing, I deal the decks but it don't seem to pay, And it's "son of a gunner" I get each day, And nothing will come, will come my way. 4. My luck has all gone straying, I make no strike by night or day, But it's "songs of guns" I still will say, For I'm in the game, the game to stay. ABC of the melody (including introduction and coda): X:1 T:Ten Thousand Cattle Straying (Dead Broke) C:Owen Wister (words and music), 1904 Z:From sheet music at the University of Colorado at Boulder M:6/8 L:1/8 %Q:"Allegretto" K:F "Intro" f | _d3-d2 _A | _A2 A {A}_c>BA | {G}=c2 B G2 c | f3-f2 A | e2 d e2 d | c2 B G3 | z6 || |: "Melody" z3 z2 (F/A/) | C2 C D2 (F/A/) | C3 D2 F/G/ | A2 F A2 F | (c>B) G/E/ D2 G/B/ | C2 C G2 (G/B/) | C2 C (G2 A) | B G C A2 B | G2 C F2 f | _B3 z2 _A | _A2 A (_c>B) A | (c2 B) G2 c | f3 z2 A | e2 d e2 d | (c2 B) G2 G/B/ | C2 C G2 (G/B/) | C2 C G2 A | B G c A2 d | "rall." c2 E F2 "Coda" a | f2 _d-c>BG |1 F2 C D2 D :|2 F2 z2 f2 || Chords: Intro: | Db | " | C7 | Dm | G7 | C7 | Dm | G7 | C7 | - | Verse: (F) | F (F6) | F (F6) | F | C7 Bb(6) | C7 Bb | C7 Bb | C7 Dm | C F | Chorus: B7 | " | C7 | " Gm7/C* | [CFBbDG] C7 Gm7/C | C7 Dm,Bb | C7 F | Coda: F C7 | F || |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Ten Thousand Cattle Straying From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 01 Nov 06 - 11:06 PM There is a story that Owen Wister (1860-1930) originally wrote the song in 1888, but I can't find verification. Wister made trips to Wyoming in the 80's, but 1888 was the year he graduated from Harvard Law School, so if he did write it during this period, I doubt that the date is accurate. Wister collected the well-known song, "Git Along Little Dogies," both words and music, in Texas, which he recorded in his journal in 1893. Details in thread 67615: Git Along |
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Subject: RE: Origins: Ten Thousand Cattle Straying From: Artful Codger Date: 02 Nov 06 - 09:03 PM 1904 may simply be the publication date on the sheet music (which might not have been the first printing, even if the song was published in the year he wrote it.) On the other hand, as he wrote it as incidental music for a theater production of "The Virginian", it would have been after he wrote the book, whenever that was. So I think you're correct that 1888 is too early. |
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