POWDER RIVER
(ACS ACS-24001)
1989
Produced by Chris LeDoux
Mark Sissel - guitar/vocals
Gary Bodily - bass/vocals
Craig Goodell - drums/percussion
Kennard Machol - fiddle
Bobby Jensen - keyboards
Joe Clarke - vocals
1.
SONS OF THE PIONEERS
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
Way out west where the wild wind blows
The eagle flies and the sage brush grows
Traditions are holding on you'll be glad to hear
They're being kept alive by the Sons of The Pioneers
Like that young cowboy from old Montana
He's got boots and spurs and a black bandana
He rides the wild prairie rounding up the steers
Just like his Daddy he's a Son of The Pioneers
From Texas clear up the Idaho from the mountains to the plains
They got the blood of Crockett and Geronimo flowing through their veins
The wild old west is changing some but traditions persevere
They're being kept alive by the Sons of The Pioneers
There's a gal down in Texas with a great big hat
She likes roping and dancing and things like that
And if you need a hand at your branding she'll volunteer
She's a wild prairie and a daughter of the Pioneers
He's got braids and hat with an eagle feather
He rides with broncs there ain't none better
His great grandaddy was a chief on the wild frontier
And he's a proud son of the original Pioneers
They're being kept alive by the Sons of The Pioneers
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2.
JOHNSON COUNTY WAR
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
Headed for Wyoming in 1882 a woman a team and a wagon
Gonna make our dreams come true
Settled in the foothills of the Big Horn mountain slope
Life is sweet we lived on the meat of the deer and the antelope.
We cut house logs on the mountain with the team we hauled 'em down
Peeled 'em and we stacked 'em up for a house and bought some ground
Traded for some cattle and turned 'em out on the range
The skies were blue and we never knew how things were gonna change
Oh Powder River you're muddy and wide
How many men have died along your shores
When you brand a man a rustler he's gotta take a side
There's no middle ground in this Johnson Country War
Well the neighbors stopped by yesterday while I was outside choppin' some wood
And they filled me in on the local news ain't none of it sounded good
Said they'd been some cattle stealin' by some no count outlaw bands
We'd all been branded rustler's by the ranchers of this land
Well it was us against the cattlemen the years just made it worse
First the drought then the tough winter Johnson County had been dealt a curse
Then their came the story bout the two dry Gulch attacks
Ranger Jones and John Tisdale both been shot in the back
Oh Powder River...
Then last night at supper time a riders stopped by chance
They said cattleman and hired guns just burned the KC Ranch
Two men had died this mornin' shot down in the snow
Now the vigilante army was marchin' for Buffalo
Well the county was in an uproar and every man saddled up to ride
Caught the cattlemen at the TA Ranch and surrounded all four sides
We hailed the house with bullets swore they were going to pay
But the calvery came across the plains and once again saved the day
Well they marched them off to Cheyenne no one went to jail
Cattlemen we're all turned loose and the hired guns hit the trail
And I guess the only justice wasn't much to say the least
Last winter me and mine ate mighty fine on the cattle baron's beef
Oh Powder River...
There's no middle ground in this Johnson County War
**********
3.
HOME FROWN WESTERN SATURDAY NIGHT
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
There's a place out west where the Powder River runs off the Big Horn Mountains
And winds it's way out across the plains
It's a land of red walls blue sky and clean air
Where the eagle glides high above the canyons
And makes his nest in the rocks that overlook the valleys
Where the sagebrush and the cottonwoods grow
This is ranch country has been for more than one hundred years
Well things have changed some since the early days
But there's still a thread of character and tradition
That runs thru from one generation to the next
You can see it out here the way folks sit a horse
You can hear it in the way they talk
And when the work is all done there's nothing they like better
Than to get together at the one-room schoolhouse under the red wall
For another down homegrown western Saturday night
Well the calving's all done and the brandins' through
Hayin' don't start for a week or two
There ain't but one thing left to do it's time to celebrate
One two three four
Headin' west out of town on a blacktop road folks are comin' by the pickup load
For a western good time alamode better bring along your appetite
Take a right hand turn through the cattle guard
Park it down in the old school yard
Gonna kick up my boots with my cowboy pards and hold my woman tight
Yippee yi-ay and a hey diddle diddle Ord's on the guitar Ross on the fiddle
Pull down your hat keep your mind in the middle raise a ruckus tonight
From the butterfly to the jitterbug me and my lady's gonna cut a rug
Wild Bill's crackin' out that old square mug
On another down home good time homegrown western Saturday night
Well the little kids are playin' tag out back
Someone's peekin' through the outhouse crack
And if his mom could see him she'd have a heart attack
And he'd have a hard time sittin' down
Now, the young cowboys are starting to sweat
The teenage girls are playin' hard to get
And it's driving them crazy but the night's young yet
Give um time they'll come around
Yippee yi-ay and a hey diddle diddle Ord's on the guitar Ross on the fiddle
We come here to party and not spit and whittle while the moon is shining bright
There's a coyote howlin' from the hills above to the harmony of a morning dove
For the couple in the moonlight fallin' in love
On another down home good time homegrown western Saturday night
Now the midnight supper really hit the spot there's beef and pie and coffee in a pot
And if you drank to much I'll tell you what it'll sure get you back on your feet
Well the old couple sitting by the schoolhouse door
Grinin' at the kids dancin' around the floor
And they remember the way it was years ago how the memories taste so sweet
Yippee yi-ay and a hey diddle diddle Ord's on the guitar turn it up a little
We come here to party and not spit and whittle from Faded Love to the Cattle Call
The music flows out to the old red wall it'll echo around till clear next fall
Well have another down home good time homegrown western Saturday night
**********
4.
LADY IS DANCING WITH ME
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
I was waltzin' with my darlin' at the cattleman's ball
Lost in the music and her charms
I was glidin' around the dance floor she felt so good in my arms
When a tall dark stranger walked up and cut in
He said excuse me sir why don't you go have a seat
I said well listen' here partner this may sound kinda crude
But the lady is dancin' with me
Now I paid for the supper and I bought the drinks
So I feel that I've got the right
Now I'm sorry ole buddy but you just better back off
Or there's liable to be trouble here tonight
Now I can see that you're upset cause it's always been a tradition
To let a fine young gentleman cut in
But if you don't take your hands off my lady partner
I'm gonna have to break your chin
Now I've seen your kind before and I know exactly what's on your mind
Your woman probably left you for someone else
so you thought you'd just take a run at mine
Yeah you though you'd be leavin' her later on
That's right it's all part of the game
Why don't you take my advice and on go back to the bar
In one piece the same way you came in
The stranger took off and I saw him tryin' with someone else
And my lady well she scowled at me
And she said you know I think that was very uncouth
And goes against all the rules of chivalry
Then she smiled up at me with those beautiful eyes
And said Mister you know I kinda like your style
But do you think we should call up the sitter and check on the kids
I just grinned and said now let's just dance a while
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5.
HARD TIMES
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
The ole man stand by the lone chute he sold his calves today
He spits in the dust between his boots as the semi pulls away
The slick blue check in his grimy hands shoves down in his coat
It won't make the payment on the land or pay the interest on the note
Oh it's hard hard times
He's a young man with a loving wife two children and a home
Plans to build a better life and put a mortgage on his own
He lost his job when the boom went bust still got bills to pay
Now he's pickin' up cans in the roadside dust she's at the Feed Rack Cafe
Oh it's hard hard times
Now the ole grey banker sits behind his desk beneath a worried frown
Of the tangled mess of some good folks goin' down
He's known some of 'em for thirty years and some point the finger of blame
And no one sees his tears except the one who shares his name
Oh it's hard hard times oh it's hard hard times
**********
6.
SONG OF THE YUKON ROSE
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
There's a place on the Yukon river called the Caribou Saloon
Where the miners go to spend their gold and listen to the sad sweet tune
Feast their eyes' upon the beauty of the lovely Yukon Rose
They can look but they better not touch her she belongs to Pierre LeBoux.
They say he found down in Seattle won her at a young and tender age
Now she sings up here while the men drink beer like a bird in a guilded cage
Well one time a man from Tulsa challenged Pierre for her Rose's hand
Now he lies below the bitter snow in this wild and savage land
Some nights when the Northern Lights are shinin'
And the cold north wind is howlin' across the snow
Is it just the wind that you hear sighin' or could it be the sound of the Yukon Rose
Then one night a bigfoot just happened to be passin' by
And there in the dark his heart his lonely heart was touched by Rose's lullaby
So he walked into the bar room and every one turned to stare
but he looked to them just like a bearded man in a coat of grizzly hair
Bigfoot saw the Yukon Rose and their eyes meet through the gloom.
And she was hypnotized by his gentle eyes and was drawn across the room
Now they say that love has no boundaries ans I reckon that it's right
Cause beauty and the savage beast, fell in love that night
Some nights when the Northern Lights are shinin'
Ans the cold North winds are howlin' cross the snow
Is it just the wind that you hear sighin'
Or could it be the song of the Yukon Rose
Now Pierre was in the back room dealin' cards when the music stopped
He laid his hand down and looked around and said nobody touch that pot
He walked out to the bar room and the trouble began
And his blood ran cold when he saw the Rose in the arms of the tall strange man
Pierre walked up and he grabbed her and shoved her t'wards the stage
And the gentle look in the strangers eyes turned wild and red with rage
And then with just one mighty blow Pierre lay on the sawdust floor
The tall strange man took the ladies hand and walked out through the door
No one dared to follow and where he took her no one knows
But we all jumped back when we saw the tracks of bigfoot in the snow
Some say she probably died that winter she must have I s'pose
But just last night under the Northern Lights I heard the song of the Yukon Rose
Some nights when the Northern Lights are shinin'
And the cold north wind is howlin' across the snow
Is it just the wind that you hear sighin'
Or could it be the song of the Yukon Rose
**********
7.
RAINBOW RIDER
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
Well the sun came up this mornin' my ain't it a beautiful day
Heard that highway callin' time to be on our way
Girl I never seen the sun shine brighter I need you to be my rainbow rider
Your sweet smile can keep all the clouds at bay so get up we can use a holiday
We're gonna drive up on the mountain clear up to the timber line
Sleep out in the moonlight way up their among the pines
In a grassy meadow with the stars up above you
I'm gonna show you how much I love you
We're gonna leave all our worries and cares behind
So come on Rainbow Rider time to rise and shine
We've been hangin' around this ole town too long
Can't you hear that highway callin' the radio is playin' a traveling song come on
We'll wake up in the mornin' have coffee at a small cafe
Find a celebration and listen to the guitars play
We're gonna run in the sunshine, dance in the moonlight
As long as you're with me everything will be just right
I might stop to pick you a sweet bouqet
So come on Rainbow Rider let's be on our way
Yeah we'll go up on the mountain all the way to the top
We might just keep on goin' and never stop
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8.
BLUEBONNET BLUES
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
Well there's a special place in my memory
Where I keep the pictures of a time and place I left far behind
And I know the years have probably colored the way it really was back then
But still I like to take the memories out and look at 'em from time to time
There's a full moon tonight on the prarie, a memory just rode into view
A boy a buckskin and an ole spangler dawg, in the hills where the blue bonnets grew
Well I was deep in the heart of Texas just a kid bout thirteen at the time
Runnin' wild through the mesquite the cedars and cactus
It's been years but your still on my mind
No matter where I might wander there's a memory that I'll never lose
The Lonestar shines bright in my heart tonight I've got the blue bonnet blues
Well I remember those warm summer evenin's playin' out under the stars
Back then I never dreamed we'd be leavin'
But I guess things just don't stay as they are
Well the years and the miles came between us but tonight as I'm dreamin' of you
Once again I'm a kid in the sweet arms of Texas and I've got the blue bonnet blues
No matter where I might wander there's a memory that I'll never lose
Cause the Lonestar shines bright in my heart tonight I've got the blue bonnet blues
The Lonestar shines bright in my heart tonight I've got the blue bonnet blues
**********
9.
I'VE GOT TO BE A RODEO MAN
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '76 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
Sometimes this old road get's so damn lonesome away from home
Ain't no way in sigth head on back nobody knows the way it feels
Suffer through this living hell less you been on down that road yourself
Boy don't you know I ain't really a bum I was once a clean cut mothers son
And you know down deep inside I still am
But this rodeo life's got it's hold on me and there aint no way to set me free
You know I've gotta be a rodeo man
Skinny old dog on the rodeo grounds scroungin' sniffin' lookin around
In alot of ways I'm just like him
Cause I'm eating up scraps off the dinner table in a greasy cafe' til I'm able
Ride those broncs good enough to win
Boy don't you know...
**********
10.
LONE RANGER
(Chris Ledoux)
« © '89 Lehsem Songs, BMI »
[ instrumental ]
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