“Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie”

Description

A cowboy is dying. He asks to be taken home and buried in his family home. His request is ignored; he is buried in a small and isolated prairie grave

Notes

Probably adapted from "The Ocean Burial," attributed to Rev. Edwin H. Chapin (1839). For the complex question of the tune, see the notes on that piece.

The 1922 edition of Thorp (quoted also by Belden) claims that the adaption to "The Lone Prairie" is by H. Clemons and written in 1872. I know of no supporting data. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Ocean Burial"
• cf. "Going to Leave Old Texas (Old Texas, Texas Song, The Cowman's Lament)" (tune)
• cf. "I've Got No Use for the Women" (lyrics)

Recordings

• Arkansas Woodchopper [pseud. for Luther Ossenbrink], "The Dying Cowboy" (Columbia 15463-D, 1929; rec. 1928)
• Jules [Verne] Allen, "The Dying Cowboy" (Victor 23834, 1933; on BackSaddle)
• Bentley Ball, "The Dying Cowboy" (Columbia A3085, 1920)
• Bill Childers, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (OKeh 45203, 1928)
• Vernon Dalhart, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (Columbia 969-D, 1927) (Romeo 431/Perfect 12361, 1927) (CYL: Edison [BA] 5315, n.d. but prob. 1927)
• Phil & Frank Luther, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (Melotone M-12143, 1931)
• Asa Martin, "The Dying Cowboy" (Banner 32426/Melotone M12497 [both as Martin & Roberts]/Royal [Canada] 91402, 1932)
• Sloan Matthews, "The Dying Cowboy" (AFS, 1940s; on LC28)
• Pickard Family, "Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie" (Columbia 15141-D, 1927)
• Holland Puckett, "The Dying Cowboy" (Silvertone 25065, 1927; Supertone 9253, 1929)
• Herbert Sills, "O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (on Saskatch01)
• Carl T. Sprague, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (Victor 20122, 1926; Montgomery Ward M-4099, 1933; on MakeMe)
• Vel Veteran [pseud. for either Arthur Fields, Vernon Dalhart, or Irving Kaufman] "O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (Grey Gull 4239, 1928)

References

1. Laws B2, "The Dying Cowboy (Oh Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie)" (sample text in NAB, pp. 81-82)
2. Larkin, pp. 37-39, "The Lone Prairie" (1 text, 1 tune)
3. Belden, pp. 387-392, "The Lone Prairie" (5 texts)
4. Randolph 184, "Oh Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
5. BrownII 262, "The Lone Prairie" (2 texts)
6. Hudson 93, pp. 222-223, "O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 text)
7. Friedman, p. 436, "The Lone Prairie" (1 text)
8. Fowke/Johnston, pp. 92-93, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 text, 1 tune)
9. Peacock, pp. 153-154, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 text, 1 tune)
10. Sandburg, p. 20, "Oh, Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 short text, 1 tune)
11. Fife-Cowboy/West 117, "The Dying Cowboy" (3 texts, 1 tune)
12. SharpAp 169, "The Lonesome Prairie" (3 texts, 3 tunes)
13. Lomax-FSUSA 60, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 text, 1 tune)
14. LPound-ABS, 78, pp. 171-173, "O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 text)
15. JHCox 54, "The Lone Prairie" (2 texts)
16. JHCoxIIB, #9, p. 143, "The Lone Prairie" (1 fragment, 1 tune)
17. Darling-NAS, pp. 164-165, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" (1 text)
18. Silber-FSWB, p. 110, "Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie" (1 text)
19. Saffel-CowboyP, pp. 201-203, "The Dying Cowboy" (1 text)
20. Fuld-WFM, pp. 396-398, "Oh, Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie"
21. DT 370, LONEPRAR*
22. Roud #631
23. BI, LB02