Trail Herdin' Cowboy

Bob Nolan
Original copyright: September 27, 1955

Trail herdin’ cowboy, hop on your pony, singing
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”
Start ridin’ now, boy, we’ll make San Antonie, singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”
Long weary days and a dusty road to travel
But we’ll make the boss pay for all this battle drivin’ cattle.
Light-hearted, carefree trail herdin’ cowboy, singing’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”

Keep movin’, dogies , time is a-wastin’, singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”
I’m not impatient, but why don’t you hasten? Singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”
You ought to know that a certain someone’s waitin’,
You ought to know that two captivatin’, confiscatin’
Arms will enfold this trail herdin’ cowboy, singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”

One little dogie strayed from his mother, singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”
Trail herdin’ cowboy, there goes another, singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”Follow the dogies through endless days of sunshine.
When this drive is over, we’ll take our funtime all at one time.
Makes me a happy trail herdin’ cowboy, singin’
“He-le-ay, he-le-o!”

One of Bob Nolan's enduring tunes, "Trail Herdin' Cowboy" was originally written for the 1939 Columbia picture, Spoilers of the Range. It was picked up in at least 2 Republic films, Sons of the Pioneers (1942) and Bells of Rosarita (1945).

In 1940 the sheet music in the songbook Bob Nolan’s Folio of Original Cowboy Classics No. 2, © 1940 by American Music, Inc.

Trail Herdin' Cowboy (American Music, Inc.)

A recording was made for the Sons of the Pioneers' Orthacoustic Symphonies of the Sage radio transcription series in 1940. It wasn't until March 27, 1963 that RCA Victor finally recorded it with the group. It had been a hit from the start and was included in all of their radio transcriptions over the years.

SONS OF THE PIONEERS TRANSCRIPTION RECORDINGS

Orthacoustic Symphonies of the Sage, transcription (064054)

NBC Thesaurus transcriptions, 1790 side A MS-064054-C (same as Orthacoustic No. 4, side B)

10-2-4 Time radio show, No. 214 (May 5, 1943) (02)

Teleways Radio Productions transcriptions, Nos. 9, 45, 114, 122, 159, 187, 237, and 257 (c. 1947-48)

Lucky U Ranch radio shows (courtesy of Larry Hopper)
- Transcriptions disc TR-115/116 (November 26, 1951)
- Transcriptions disc TR-172/173 (January 2, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-232/233 (February 8, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-288/289 (March 19, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-365/366 Gold Deed Winner: Marty Robbins (May 13, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-459/460 (August 1, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-499/500 (September 1, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-523/524 (October 17, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-624/625 (December 29, 1952)