When I was little, I had a collection of children’s tapes copied from
record albums borrowed from the library that I listened to over and over
and over again. Pardners, known to me until recently as Disney Cowboy Songs, is one of the few that still survives. It is also one of my favorites.
I am not a huge fan of country music, though I often enjoy it and
listen to it frequently on long drives through rural Pennsylvania when
it appears on three out of four radio stations. I am, however, a big fan
of western music, a distinction which can be made here. I’m a big fan
of John Denver, Michael Martin Murphy, and others who may be best
categorized as western, and an album full of cowboy songs certainly fits
that mold. And, of course, I’m a sucker for Disney, so this album was a
winning combination for me when I was five and still is today.
Deep in the Heart of Texas:
A nice interactive song, with a man singing the verses while a chorus
of children (perhaps Mouseketeers?) chime in on the choruses. I once saw
a Gary Larson Halloween special in which a group of cowboys exposed an
alien in their midst when he was unable to clap along to this song
correctly. Luckily, I never had that trouble; I must be a cowgirl at
heart!
Cowboy Mickey: This one’s an album original, a
ballad lauding Mickey as “the bravest mouse the West has ever known.”
Mickey, Donald and Goofy all make appearances here, as do Minnie as
Mickey’s sweetheart and Pete as the ornery villain determined to steal
her heart. The “ki-ki-yippees” are nice practice for some real yodeling
in The Song of the Screamin’ Cowboy.
The Old Chisholm Trail:
This classic also offers ample opportunity for some
“ki-yi-yippie-yippie-ay-yippie-ays,” but it’s a fairly dull song and the
yodels aren’t going to have a whole lot of heart either. It’s all very
smooth and metered, and again the man takes the verses while the kids
take the choruses. One of the flatter selections.
Ride ‘Em Cowboy:
The Disney trio are back, with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy alternating
verses with the man as they list the joys and drudgeries of cowboy life.
Light-hearted and including a bit of back-and-forth banter among the
characters, this is a fun song.
Home on the Range: The
perennial classic, and one of the most boring songs on the album. The
man sings it as slow as he possibly can, to the point of it sounding
mournful. (I tip my hat to the Chipmunks for coming up with a version of
this song that manages to be very entertaining. Alvin, being difficult
as always, hams up his performance of the song while crooning about
cantaloupes who play out on the range, much to Dave’s dismay. The boys
tire of Dave’s ranting before the song is complete, and they wander off
to get themselves a cantaloupe. “That’s a dear little somethin’ to eat,”
explains Simon, skewering Dave’s explanation of the difference between
antelopes and cantaloupes. Classic.)
The Song of the Screamin' Cowboy:
“Bury me thar with my battered guitar, / screamin’ my heart out fer
you-hoo-hoo-hoo...” No question, this is my favorite, much to my
brother’s displeasure. When I think of great yodeling songs, I usually
think of John Denver (Calypso comes to mind first, which
ironically has nothing to do with either mountains or cowboys). But
first, I think of this old cowboy screaming his heart out for the gal he
loves. This appears to be a Disney original; I read a comic book once
in which Donald Duck had penned the tune, which had becomes a hit of Witch Doctor
proportions. It’s both silly and sweet, and the voice is irresistible.
Put on your best cowboy accent for this one and sing along. “The song of
the screamin’ cowboy will haunt you all your days, / after I’ve kicked
the bucket across them pearly gates...” The long string of yodels is
made all the better by a Rockapella-esque treatment; the deep bass
“yodel-odel-ay-he-hoos” are especially entertaining.
Partners:
A sort of sappy song sung by one cowhand to another about how glad he
is that they are partners. Their friendship has lasted through the
ravages of time, and he is grateful. A slow and sweet song, it’s not at
the top of my list, but it’s not at the bottom either.
Pecos Bill: A close second to The Song of the Screamin’ Cowboy.
I don’t think Disney made this one up, but I could be wrong. Certainly
it’s not the only song about Pecos Bill floating around. This upbeat
tune described the folk hero in typical larger-than-life terms. “While
reclinin’ on a cloud high over Texas, / with his gun he made the stars
evaporate. / And when he saw those stars declinin’, / well, he left one
brightly shinin’ / as the emblem of the Lone Star Texas State.” Once
again there is also some pretty nifty yodeling. “Yippie-i-ay-i-ay,
yippie-ie-oh-oh-oh-oh, for the toughest critter west of the Alamo.”
I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande):
Goofy is especially well equipped to sing this song about a misfit of a
cowboy. He’s a happy fella, just not really what you might expect out
of a guy who calls himself a cowhand. “I’m a cowboy who never saw a cow,
/ never roped a steer ‘cause I don’t know how, / and I sure ain’t
fixin’ to start in now, yippie-ki-o-ki-ay.”
Git Along, Little Dogies:
Another cowboy classic. Pretty straightforward; like most of the short
and simple well-known tunes here, it’s fine but not very exciting.
A Cowboy Needs a Horse:
Again Donald, Mickey, Goofy and the man trade off, and this time the
kids join in. The song lists all of the things that a cowboy needs to
survive but concludes that ultimately, a cowboy doesn’t need very much
at all to make do in life.
Don't Fence Me In: Another
one of my favorites, this is an upbeat song about a cowboy pleading to
be allowed freedom from fences. “I want to ride to the ridge where the
west commences, / gaze at the moon till I lose my senses, / I can't look
at hovels and I can't stand fences. / Don't fence me in.”
Donald Duck, the Wrangler:
I wonder if Donald’s feeling gypped that his song is the second-to-last
in the album? Donald’s infamous temper is put to good use in this
amusing song, where he is pinned as more of a villain than a hero.
“You’ve never heard a more discouraging word / than when Donald Duck the
Wrangler is about.”
Happy Trails: The perfect ending
to the album, this gentle classic leaves the listener with a blessing
and an invitation to return to the album whenever they want, which, for
me, at least, is often. “Happy trails to you until we meet again.”
It may not be the most sophisticated album out there, but it is
satisfying. So go out and grab a copy for your little cowboy, or the
little cowboy you once were. You’ll be glad you did.
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