Ragtime Cowboy Joe

"Ragtime Cowboy Joe" is a popular song lyrics by Grant Clarke, music by Lewis F. Muir and Maurice Abrahams. © 1912, F.A. Mills, 122 W. 36th St, New York.^{[citation needed]}

1912 sheet music cover

The 1912 copyright version published by F.A. Mills credits Lewis F. Muir and Maurice Abrahams as composers and Grant Clarke as the lyricist. The song was composed in Brooklyn, NY by the song writing team that also wrote Second Hand Rose. The song was written after an appearance by Maurice Abrahams' nephew, Joe Abrahams who appeared at Maurice Abrahams' home wearing a cowboy outfit. Maurice Abrahams was so captivated by the appearance of his nephew dressed up as a cowboy that the elder Abrahams was influenced in writing Ragtime Cowboy Joe in 1912. It was a number-one hit song for singer Bob Roberts in 1912. Trolley Car conductor Harry Cohn had a sideline as a music promoter and took Ragtime Cowboy Joe and promoted it to hit status as he willingly told anyone who would listen for 40 years. Over the years, it has been performed by a diverse group of artists, ranging from Eddy Howard to The Chipmunks. "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" was also the radio show theme song for New York City's long running, award-winning public radio show, Cowboy Joe's Radio Ranch (1976–1988), hosted by Paul Aaron, New York's Cowboy Joe. During one of his radio shows Paul Aaron had the elder Joe Abrahams (the original Cowboy Joe) as a special guest. Paul Aaron played many versions of his favorite song dating back to one sung by Bob Roberts from a 1919 acoustic RCA Victor 78 rpm record. He also played many "live" versions recorded during the University of Wyoming football and basketball games. A recent version of the song appears on Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks 2009 album "Tangled Tales"

Lyrics

As with many popular songs of the era, the verse is often omitted: the refrain's lyrics vary somewhat depending on the publisher.

(verse)

Out in Arizona

Where the bad men are,

And the only friend to guide you

Is an evening star,

The roughest, toughest man by far

Is Ragtime Cowboy Joe.

Got his name from singing

To the cows and sheep

Every night they say

He sings the herd to sleep

In a basso rich and deep,

Crooning soft and low.

(refrain)

He always sings

Ragtime music to the cattle as he swings

Back and forward in the saddle

On a horse

That is syncopated-gaited

And you ought to hear the meter

To the roar of his repeater.

How they run

When they hear that fellow's gun

Because the Western folks all know

He's a high-falutin', scootin', shootin',

Son of a gun from Arizona,

Ragtime cowboy Joe.

How he sings,

Raggy music to his cattle

As he swings

Back and forward in his saddle

On his horse (A pretty good horse)

That is syncopated-gaited

And with such a funny meter

To the roar of his repeater.

How they run

When they hear the fellow's gun

Because the western folks all know:

He's a hifalootin', scootin', shootin'

Son-of-a-gun from Arizona,

Ragtime Cowboy

(Talk about your cowboy)

Ragtime Cowboy Joe.

Variations include: "He always sings/Ragtime music to his cattle", "He's got a syncopated gaiter/And you ought to hear the meter", "Son of a gun from old Wyoming"

University song

"Ragtime Cowboy Joe" is also the school song of the University of Wyoming. Traditionally, Cowboy fans stand and clap to the beat of the song as played by Wyoming's Western Thunder Marching Band. The version of the song appropriated by Wyoming includes lyrics adjusted to represent the school's location, a stands cheer that occurs during a drum break, and a repeat of the verse commonly follows.

Stands cheer: (For the Cowboys)

'C'! 'O'! 'W'! 'B'! 'O'! 'Y'! 'S'!

COWBOYS! COWBOYS! COWBOYS!

(For the Cowgirls)

'C'! 'O'! 'W'! 'G'! 'I'! 'R', 'L', 'S'!

COWGIRLS! COWGIRLS! COWGIRLS!

The Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh! at UC Davis also favors the song. In this case;

He's a high-falutin', rootin' tootin'

Son of a gun from California

He's some cowboy

Talk about your cowboy

Ragtime Cowboy Joe

The Chipmunks

"Ragtime Cowboy Joe" is the third and final single from The Chipmunks' debut album Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks. The song was released as a single in 1959. After the chart performance of the Chipmunks' last two singles, "The Chipmunk Song" and "Alvin's Harmonica", both of which have managed to reach the Top Ten, it was hoped that "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" would continue their streak of Top Ten hits. Instead the single peaked at #16 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, which was the group's first single to miss the Top Ten, although it was their third consecutive Top 20 single. The song was also a success on the Billboard Black Singles, peaking at #29. Since the song was also credited to David Seville by Billboard, the song became Seville's fourth consecutive Top 20 single.