“The Chisholm Trail (I)”

Description

Stories of the troubles of a cowboy watching the herds. Characterized by the chorus, "Come-a ti yi yippy, yippy yea, yippy yea, Come-a ti yi yippy, yippy yea, yippy yea." Dozens of verses, printable and unprintable, cover all parts of the cowboy life

Notes

It should be noted that there is no clear distinction between the "clean" and "dirty" versions of this song (the latter being "Chisholm Trail (II)"); a particular singer could make it as raunchy as desired. We split them not because they are distinct songs but because the song is so frequently bowdlerized. It would be slightly false to say the versions listed here are rewritten versions of the song and "Chisholm Trail (II)" are unedited versions -- but only slightly false.

E. A. Brininstool wrote a poem, "The Chisholm Trail." It is unrelated -- a reminiscence of cowboy days. - RBW

Cross references

• cf. "The Chisholm Trail (II)" (tune & meter)
• cf. "Eleven Slash Slash Eleven" (tune & meter)

Recordings

• Jules Allen, "Chisolm Trail" (Victor V-40167, 1929; Montgomery Ward M-4463, 1933)
• The Cartwright Brothers, "On The Old Chisolm Trail" (Columbia 15346-D, 1929)
• Edward L. Crain, "The Old Chisolm Trail" (Crown 3275, 1932)
• Girls of the Golden West, "Old Chisolm Trail" (Bluebird B-5718, 1934)
• Tex Hardin, "The Old Chisolm Trail" (Champion 16552, 1933; Montgomery Ward M-4954, 1936)
• Harry Jackson, "The Dally Roper's Song" (on HJackson1)
• Harry "Haywire Mac" McClintock "The Old Chisholm Trail" (Victor 21421, 1928; on AuthCowboys, BackSaddle)
• Patt Patterson & his Champion Rep Riders, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (Perfect 164/Banner 32091 [as Patt Patterson & Lois Dexter], 1931)
• Sain Family, "The Texas Trail" (Montgomery Ward M-7187, 1937)
• Jack Weston, "The Texas Trail" (Van Dyke 84292, n.d.; on MakeMe)

References

1. Randolph 179, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. BrownIII 217, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text, though one suspects it's composite since it's 29 stanzas long!)
3. Sandburg, pp. 266-267, "The Lone Star Trail" (1 text, 1 tune)
4. Fowke/Mills/Blume, pp. 136-138, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Fife-Cowboy/West 78, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (2 texts, 1 tune, the "B" text being "Eleven Slash Slash Eleven")
6. Larkin, pp. 19-25, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
7. Lomax-FSUSA 57, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
8. Lomax-ABFS pp. 376-379, "The Old Chizzum Trail" (1 long text (compiled from many sources), 1 tune)
9. Lomax-FSNA 188, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text, 1 tune)
10. Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 851-852, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text, 1 tune)
11. LPound-ABS, 76, pp. 167-170, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text)
12. Arnett, p. 125, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text, 1 tune)
13. Silber-FSWB, p. 108, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 long text, probably composite)
14. Saffel-CowboyP, p. 184-186, "The Old Chisholm Trail" (1 text)
15. DT, CHISHLM*
16. Roud #3438
17. BI, R179