Happy Cowboy
(Happy Rovin’ Cowboy)

Bob Nolan
Original copyright: March 16, 1936

Nowhere to go an’ nothin’ to do,
I’m just a happy rovin’ cowboy.
Let me ride that long trail down to the end
Where the skies are always blue.

Refrain:
Hear my song as I ride along
I’m just a happy rovin’ cowboy
Herdin’ the dark clouds out of the sky.
Keeping the heavens blue.

I ain’t got a wife to bother my life
I’m a happy rovin’ cowboy.
Let me make my bed where the varmints prowl
Beneath a sky of blue.

I ain’t got a dime, jes’ spendin’ my time
I’m just a happy rovin’ cowboy
Let me sing my song till they call me home
To the land beyond the blue.

One of the most popular of Nolan's cowboy songs, "Happy Cowboy" was a favourite on the KFWB radio programs of the Sons of the Pioneers (or Gold Star Rangers). They included it on their 1934 Standard Radio transcriptions, and it was recorded by Decca on March 7, 1935.

The song was used by the group in several films such as Song of the Saddle (Dick Foran 1936), Cattle Raiders (Charles Starrett 1938) and Man from Cheyenne (Roy Rogers 1942). It gained further popularity as the theme to Hank Williams’ Health and Happiness transcribed radio programs in 1949. It is often referred to as "Happy Roving Cowboy". Hear My Song by Ken Griffis derived its title from the first line of the chorus in this song.

In 1935, the Sons of the Pioneers were offered a part in Liberty Pictures' The Old Homestead, a feature length film. They had real parts as hillbilly farmers visiting the big city, all involving a lot of singing. Production took place in mid-February and the film was released on August 10, 1935. Karl Farr joined the group after the completion of this film.

Bob did not register it for copyright until March 16, 1936. The sheet music was published in Sons of the Pioneers Song Folio No. 1, © 1936 by Cross & Winge, Inc.

Happy Cowboy (Cross & Winge, Inc.)

SONS OF THE PIONEERS TRANSCRIPTION RECORDINGS

Standard Radio transcriptions, No. 1679-A

Orthacoustic Symphonies of the Sage, transcription No. 064382

NBC Thesaurus transcriptions

10-2-4 Time radio show, No. 514 (64862-04) (1945)

Melody Roundup radio show, Nos. 374 and 512

Teleways Radio Productions transcriptions, Nos. 5, 32, 65, 77, and 223

Lucky U Ranch radio show (courtesy of Larry Hopper)
- Audition Disc Nos. 1 and 2.
- Transcriptions disc TR-93/94 (November 15, 1951)
- Transcriptions disc TR-212/213 (January 25, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-228/229 (February 6, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-256/257 (February 26, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-363/364 (May 12, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-371/372 (May 16, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-443/444 (July 14, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-463/464 (August 5, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-511/512 (October 9, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-545/546 (November 3, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-628/629 (December 31, 1952)

Lucky U Ranch radio shows without the Sons of the Pioneers:
- Transcriptions disc TR-748/749 (March 24, 1953)
- Transcriptions disc TR-828/829 (May 19, 1953)