I'm Bound to Follow the Longhorn Cows Songtext
von Alan Lomax

I′m bound to follow the longhorn cows until I get too old
It's where I work for wages boys and get my pay in gold
My bosses they all like me well, they say I′m hard to beat
'Cause I give 'em a bone standoff, they know I′ve got the cheat

Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay

Now I′m a Texas cowboy just off the stormy plains
My trade is girdin' saddles and pullin′ bridle reins
Oh I can tip the lasso, it is with graceful ease
I can rope a streak of lightnin' and ride her where I please

Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay

Now if I had me a little steak, I soon would married be
But another week and I must go, the boss said so today
My girl must cheer up courage and choose some other one
For I′m bound to follow the Lone Star trail until my race is won

Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay


It's when we′re on the trail where the dust and the billows fly
It's fifty miles from water and the grass is scorchin' dry
The boss gets mad and rangy as you can plainly see
And I want to leave the trail, my boys, and an honest farmer be

Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay

And when we get them bedded, boys, we think it′s for the night
Some horse will shake his saddle and give that herd a fright
They′ll rise up to their feet, my boys, and madly dash away
And it's movin′ time to the lead, my boys, you'll hear some cowboy say

Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay

And when we get them rounded up and quieted down again
Dark clouds will rise in the west and fire will play on their horns
The boss will say, stay with ′em boys, your pay will be in gold
I'm bound to follow the longhorn steer until I get too old

Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay

When I get in Kansas, I had a pleasant dream
I dreamt I was down on the Trinity, down by that pleasant stream
My true love right beside me, she′d come to go my bail
But I woke up brokenhearted with a yearling by the tail


Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay
Ki ya yippee yippee yay