Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie
Johnny Cash
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As I walked out on the streets of Laredo. As I walked out on Laredo one day, I spied a poor cowboy wrapped in white linen, Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay. "I can see by your outfit that you are a cowboy." These words he did say as I boldly walked by. "Come an' sit down beside me an' hear my sad story. "I'm shot in the breast an' I know I must die." "It was once in the saddle, I used to go dashing. "Once in the saddle, I used to go gay. "First to the card-house and then down to Rose's. "But I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today." "Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin. "Six dance-hall maidens to bear up my pall. "Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin. "Roses to deaden the clods as they fall." "Then beat the drum slowly, play the Fife lowly. "Play the dead march as you carry me along. "Take me to the green valley, lay the sod o'er me, "I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong." "Then go write a letter to my gray-haired mother, "An' tell her the cowboy that she loved has gone. "But please not one word of the man who had killed me. "Don't mention his name and his name will pass on." When thus he had spoken, the hot sun was setting. The streets of Laredo grew cold as the clay. We took the young cowboy down to the green valley, And there stands his marker, we made, to this day. We beat the drum slowly and played the Fife lowly, Played the dead march as we carried him along. Down in the green valley, laid the sod o'er him. He was a young cowboy and he said he'd done wrong.
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10 facts about this song
Historical Background"Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" is a cowboy folk song. It is also described often as a "ballad of the American West".
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OriginOriginally, the song came out as a poem called "Ocean Burial". It was written by Edward H. Chapin in 1839.
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Johnny Cash's ConnectionJohnny Cash, the iconic American singer-songwriter, covered the song and hence it's often associated with him. His version was released in 1965.
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Album AppearanceThe song features in Cash's album "Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West", which is a concept album focusing on American Western songs.
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Film Presence"Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" was also featured in the 2010 film "True Grit", a remake of the classic western of the same name.
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VersatilityThis song’s lyrics have been adapted several times, with different versions appearing throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, showcasing its longevity and versatility.
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PopularityJohnny Cash's rendition is one of the most popular versions of the song, highlighting his ability to breathe new life into traditional American folk songs.
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InspirationalThe song is considered important in the genre of country music and has inspired many western style songs and artists.
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Song ThemeThe song tells the tale of a dying cowboy who requests not to be buried on the prairie, away from civilization, making it a poignant song of loneliness and mortality.
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ImpactJohnny Cash's version of the song has cemented its place as a key piece in the canon of American folk music. His unique voice and interpretative skills have brought the song to life for generations of listeners.
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Citation
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"Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 11 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/28369732/Johnny+Cash/Bury+Me+Not+On+the+Lone+Prairie>.
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