This makes me proud to be an American. Raised in heartland of the USA!! My parents are from the Polynesian islands in the South Pacific and this style of singing always reminds me of them. They worked hard to make it to this great country leaving the comfort of their island lifestyle in hope of a better life for us. I’m proud of who I am, where I come from and the opportunity I have at life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Much love to all and may the years from here on out be prosperous for you and your loved ones.
From,
Your Tongan friend in small town Utah
For all it’s dated strangeness, that last “red-man” verse is surprisingly touching/poignant. It’s very melancholy and reflective, which is not what you’d expect from the time period or the voice that the song takes. It seems so mournful of what has been lost in the “ pressing out” of the native people who lived on the very range he’s singing about. At least, that’s how I interpreted it.
Hey, one of the first songs I ever learnt to play on guitar and I still love it.. there are several other various verses though and I never heard the "Redman' verse before now hearing this recording.. actually quite poignant if you listen to the lyrics carefully. Thanks for the post, Px :))
I know most of us here are gone or old but these oldies were a lot pleasant to us. I'm 73 but listen to all ages. I'm good and so are chromie cars and pickup trucks. Roy and the backups are gone but his tv shows are still on. I saw one recently. Go look in your Satellite dish and you'll see cool is still hot....
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
How often at night
When the heavens are bright
With lights from the glitterin' stars
Have I stood here amazed
And asked, as I gazed
If their glory exceeds that of ours
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
The Red man was pressed
From this part of the west
'Tis unlikely he'll ever return
To the banks of Red River
Where seldom if ever
Their flickering campfires burn
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day
This was the version! I remember it exactly - that this was the version my grandpa used to sing to me when I was like, three years old. I remember the 'red pressed' part. I just couldnt remember exactly. He'd sing this to my older cousin, whose like, thirty now, and my sister whose like, twenty one and including my youngest cousin whose like, twelve. I'm eighteen. So all his granddaugthers he'd sing this to as a lullaby. I'd ask him to sing this to me once - I even remeber asking him when I felt like I was wanting to go home but my parents were out of town or something. He'd hold me and rock me to sleep while singing this...
This was the version.
Home on The Range was my childhood lullaby my grandpa gave to me and my sister, and my cousins. I'll always remember it fondly as Roy Rodger's version. Sad thing is, we dont think he'll even make it through this year... Maybe i should sing this to him and ask him about Roy Rodgers and if he was a fan. sigh if only i could spend more time with him like i did when I was a kid. If only there was a way to rewind time... But, my mom says we were born to die. Doesnt mean I like it. Shakes fists angrily at the sky
I recall Roy Rogers was called the singing cowboy. He sang well and this song is a good proof ot that. It must have been great to live like the cowboys did with almost constant contact with nature. Now we city dwellers must either go to a park or an open field to have this. Great!!!
Early western music that connected to those cowboys who actually worked with cattle on the range. Surely a more simple less commercial time in our country's history. Roy Rodgers and Gene Autry were part of my childhood years and early television heroes.
