Lost Lyrics

September 22, 2010 5:55 PM

There was a cowgirl fair who road across the prairie; she rode side saddle and her front name was Mary. Obscure folk/children song lyrics...can you fill in the blanks?

My great-grandma used to sing a song to us, but no one can remember all of the lyrics. Google is no help. Here's what I've got:

There was a cowboy bold
And a wild desperado,
He came from Cripple Creek
In old Colorado.
And he raised more dust
Than a wild tornado.
And everywhere he went
He gave a war whoop.

There was a cowgirl fair
Who road across the prairie.
She road side saddle
And her front name was Mary.
[????????????????????]

Any help?

posted by LittleMissCranky to society & culture (4 answers total)

Weird. I knew a similar song in Girl Scouts, but enough different that I'm not sure the tune is the same. I can't find a good source. This sounds like the version you knew, but no verse about Mary:

"There was a desperado from the wild and wooly West.
He rode it to Chicago just to give the West a rest!
He wore a big sombrero and two guns across his chest!
And everywhere he went he gave his waaaaar hoot.
Oh what a big bold man was this desperado
From Cripple Creek right outta Colorado
And he horsed around like a big tornado
And everywhere he went he gave his war hoot.
He went to Coney Island just to check out all the sights.
He saw the hootchie-cootchie and the girls in purple tights.
It got him so excited that he shot out all the lights!
So they threw him where he couldn't give his waaaaar hoot.
Oh what a big bold man was this desperado
From Cripple Creek right outta Colorado
And he horsed around like a big tornado
And everywhere he went he gave his war hoot
There was a fat policeman just a-walkin down the street.
He saw the desperado just a lookin' might sweet.
He grabbed him by the collar and he grabbed him by the seat
And he threw him where he couldn't give his waaaaaaar hoot.
Oh what a big bold man was this desperado
From Cripple Creek right outta Colorado
And he horsed around like a big tornado
And everywhere he went he gave his war hoot.
And everywhere he went he gave his waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar hoot."

Link.
posted by parkerjackson at 6:15 PM on September 22, 2010

"The gay old desparado" begins:

The gay old desparado from the wild and woolly west,
He rode into Chicago just to give the west a rest.
He wore a big sombrero and two pistols at his side
and everywhere he went he gave his war hoot.

Chorus:

Oh what a big, bold, man was this desperado.
From Cripple Creek clear down in Colorado.
And he horsed around like a big tornado.
And everywhere he went he gave his war hoot.
YEE HA!


Or maybe it was this?

"There was a Desperado from the wild and wooly West.
He wore a big sombrero, and two guns across his chest.
He rode out East just to give the West a rest,
And everywhere he went, he gave his war whoop.

Chorus: He was a big tall man
He was a (clap) Desperado
From Cripple Creek
Way out in Colorado.
And he horsed around just like a big tornado,
And everywhere he went, he gave his war whoop."
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:37 PM on September 22, 2010

A similar version, with tune, from the Mudcat mirror. There's a version in the Fake Book of the World's Favorite Songs as "The Desperado" as well.
posted by nonane at 4:47 AM on September 23, 2010

Thanks, everyone...the lyrics are similar, but it's a different song.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 5:43 AM on September 23, 2010