CD's to date:
Songs of the West

Four Cords 

 Track 17: COWBOY'S LIFE IS A VERY DREARY LIFE

The most popular of the cowboy's complaint songs, learned from Library of Congress disc, AAFS L 28, as sung by Sloan Matthews of Alpine, Texas.

You can talk about your farms and your Chinamen's charms
Talk about your silver and your gold
But a cowboy's life is a very dreary life 
Ridin' through the heat and the cold.

Early in the mornin' you can hear the boss say, 
"Get up boys the breakin' of the day."
It's now for to rise with our little sleepy eyes,
The bright dreamy night's passed away.

When springtime comes then the hardships begin 
The rain is so fresh and so cold
We almost freeze with the water on our clothes 
And the cattle we can scarcely hold.

You can talk about your farms and your Chinamen's charms
But cowboys take my advice
Settin' out for to roam but you'd better stay at home
With your kind and your lovin' little wife.