Some interesting books on Cowboy songs, jokes, lingo and lore

Green River Powell aka RonC · December 25, 2011, 05:27:22 PM

I recently found some books that turned out to be great fun. They are both by Wayne Erbsen:
Cowboy Songs, Jokes, Lingo 'n Lore - Includes 25 Cowboy Insults!

Outlaw Ballads, Legends & Lore

Both are from Native Grounds Music, Inc. in Asheville, NC.

Ron

G.W. Strong · January 28, 2012, 07:20:56 AM

Is this a book about Cowboy Songs, Jokes, Lingo 'n Lore from the period or about the period? I.e. were the songs written then or now?

St. George · January 28, 2012, 08:19:06 AM

It's a pretty safe bet that when the term 'lore' is used, that the book is modern.

Scouts Out!

G.W. Strong · January 28, 2012, 09:33:48 AM

I figured that but it could be filled with quotes from the period.

St. George · January 28, 2012, 09:48:02 AM

Doubtful - things like this are a sort of dictionary - giving meaning to terminologies in use at the time and on working outfits today.

Scouts Out!

Green River Powell aka RonC · January 28, 2012, 10:08:56 AM

The fellow who wrote the books is a historical folklorist. He has been digging up songs and stories from the period and published some of what he researched over time. One of his specialties is performing the songs and telling the old stories. I found these when looking for real period music I could play on my banjo.

Ron

G.W. Strong · January 28, 2012, 10:23:24 AM

Is it footnoted with sources cited?

Green River Powell aka RonC · January 28, 2012, 10:44:44 AM

There is some footnoting. In "Outlaw, Ballads, Legends, Lore, Includes Outright Insults & Frontier Etiquette," his references go back to "The Story of the Cowboy," by Emerson Hugh, 1897.

Frontier Wisdom: If the saddle creaks, it's not paid for.
He lasted as long as a pint of whiskey in a five-handed poker game. (From Cowboy Lingo, by Ramon F. Adams, 1936)
All a man needs is a rope, a runnin' iron, and the nerve to use it.
A few of the songs" Bad Lee Brown; The Highwayman; Quantrill; I'm goin' to leave Old Texas; Night Herding Song, etc.
Story: A cowboy once made the mistake of arguing with a trapper over whether wildcats had long tails or not. The trapper settled the argument by furnishing as his proof a Colt revolver. The coroner's decision was that any Hombre who was crazy enough to call a long-haired, whiskey drinking trapper a liar had died of ignorance.

There are some great photos and wood-cuts.

By the way, I have no connection to the author, Wayne Erbsen, but just wanted to share what I found.

Ron