The Old Master Painter

(Ghost) Riders In the Sky

Vaughn Monroe

Peak Billboard position # 1 in 1949

Monroe may not have sung it precisely this waybut a recording by him was not

Available so the words and music herein are taken from the sheet music as written

By Stan Jones

Monroes' version, as well as competing versions by Peggy Lee (# 2), Bing Crosby

(#14), and Burl Ives (# 21) were all charted as just "Riders In the Sky"

Later, The Ramrods took it to # 30 in 1961 with the parenthetical (Ghost) added,

As did the Baja Marimba Band (#52 in 1966) and The Outlaws (#31 in 1981)

Lawrence Welk used the original title on his # 87 in 1961.

An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day

Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way

When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw

A'plowin' through the ragged skies and up a cloudy draw

Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o

Ghost riders in the sky

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves were made of steel

Their horns wuz black and shiny and their hot breaths he could feel

A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky

For he saw the riders comin' hard and he heard their mournful cry

Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o

Ghost riders in the sky

Their faces gaunt, their eyes were blurred, and shirts all soaked with sweat

They're ridin' hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught them yet

They've got to ride forever in that range up in the sky

On horses snortin' fire, as they ride on, hear their cry

Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o

Ghost riders in the sky

As the riders loped on by him, he heard one call his name

"If you want to save your soul from hell a' ridin' on our range"

"Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride"

"A-tryin' to catch the Devil's herd across these endless skies."

Yi-pi-yi-ay, Yi-pi-yi-o

Ghost riders in the sky

Ghost riders in the sky