Thanks indeed for that Phil.  I've always loved Riding the Range ; it just
drips with irony and now with the background info you supplied it's even
better.  Speaking of irony, I was talking to the great Scottish singer Dick
Gaughan  on his recent visit out here and he put forward the view that
Pancho and Lefty should be understood in that light, which I thought was an
interesting slant on the perennial " what's it about?" question.  He also
told a joke about Americans and irony which I will only pass on if I get
sufficient requests.                       The real point of this missive is
to ask you for a recommendation as to which Jackie Leven album I should
buy...he sounds very interesting .          Oh, and to suggest that anyone
who doesnt know Dick Gaughans version of Pancho and Lefty-should chase up
the Redwood Cathedral CD and have a listen , it's the most original cover
going about I think. He told me that he didnt listen to any version of the
song for over a year before he recorded it so as to be able to get his own
take on what he he calls a personal tribute to a great songwriter (irony and
all).       Dugald from Oz---- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <AboutTownes@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 8:25 AM
Subject: [AboutTownes] rochdale cowboys riding the range


> PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
> first off - the lyics to Riding the Range, written by Michael Weston King,
> recorded by the Good Sons with Townes Van Zandt; inspired by the cowboys
> of the
> gritty Lancashire town of Rochdale
> secondly - the lyrics to Rochdale Cowboy - by Mike Harding, which seems to
> feature in several worst record ever made lists . . .
> Enjoy
>
> Phil
>
> RIDING THE RANGE
> Well  the cowboys are gathering tonight by the side of the  river
> They've been  bussed in from east side to find their own piece of  the
> west.
> With their  six-pack and six-guns, cloth caps and  stetsons,
> Maybe you might think it's  strange
> But don't worry momma,  these boys are just riding the  range.
>
> All the cowgirls get branded  somewhere in the back of a  trailer,
> It'll be same time and same place  next week, just a different  man
> A man who is stronger, and younger, and  longer,
> And one who's not  drunk for a change
> But what can you do  when these boys go out riding the  range?
>
> It's the range that they  cling to, when the're out on their  own
> It's the range that makes them  feel at home
> Every night you can see  them, they're fighting their own  chaperone,
> But every night they somehow make  it home.
>
> In the  morning they're waking beneath their fish and chip  paper
> The story of  last night is written in stains on their shirt
> From a  north coastal  guest house to a Tennessee road house,
> Some behaviour you just  can't  explain,
> But come Friday evening those boys are out riding the   range
> I said next Friday evening take me out riding the range.
>
> ROCHDALE COWBOY
> (spoken bit)
> Never before in the history of mankind  has the story been told of those
> brave frontiers men who carved out a  passage in the North West and made
> it a
> place fit for heroes to live  in
> This is the story of one such man, sausage tosser extraordinar
> his name  Fred Ackroyd
>
> (singing bit)
> It's hard being a cowboy in  Rochdale
> spurs don't fit right on me clogs
> yee-haa
> it's hard being a  cowboy in Rochdale
> cause people laugh when I ride past on our Alsatian  dog
>
> Almost every night there's a tripe and cowheel fight in our local pie  and
> pea saloon
> and poor old Uncle Fred he spent 18 months in bed cause he  tried to kiss
> a
> girl who's a boy named Sue
>
> It's hard being a cowboy  in Rochdale
> spurs don't fit right on me clogs
> yee-haa
> it's hard being a  cowboy in Rochdale
> cause people laugh when I ride past on our Alsatian  dog
>
> When the sun shines in the west that's the time that I like  best
> and I go out punching cows with me brother Jack
> and poor old Uncle  Fred he spent 18 months in bed cause he punched one
> cow
> and she went and  punched him back
>
> It's hard being a cowboy in Rochdale
> spurs don't fit  right on me clogs
> yee-haa
> it's hard being a cowboy in Rochdale
> cause  people laugh when I ride past on our Alsatian dog
>
> In the local temperance  bar we'd go and have a jar
> there's sarsaparilla and liquorice juice to  drink
> and poor old Uncle Fred he spent 18 months in bed
> cause he supped  the stuff he used to clean the sink
>
> It's hard being a cowboy in  Rochdale
> spurs don't fit right on me clogs
> yee-haa
> it's hard being a  cowboy in Rochdale
> cause people laugh when I ride past on our Alsatian  dog
>
> Yer know when us cowpokes hit town we go an 'orses round with them  good
> time
> girls Elsie and Mucky Peg
> When Auntie Kitty found Uncle Fred he  spent 18 months in bed
> cause you can't run fast with your pants half why down  your legs
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> "To Live's To Fly" http://www.townesvanzandt.com
>
> Shared files for all things TVZ: (MP3's, etc... )
> http://briefcase.yahoo.com/townesvanzandt2001
>
> See TVZ related links and files or change  your membership settings
> at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AboutTownes
>
> "There's only two kinds of music... The Blues and Zip-a-dee-doo-dah." -
> Townes Van Zandt
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>


"To Live's To Fly" http://www.townesvanzandt.com

Shared files for all things TVZ: (MP3's, etc... ) http://briefcase.yahoo.com/townesvanzandt2001

See TVZ related links and files or change  your membership settings
at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AboutTownes

"There's only two kinds of music... The Blues and Zip-a-dee-doo-dah." - Townes Van Zandt




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