Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
First recording and first release by Bentley Ball (January 1920 / 1920)
- Music written by
- [Traditional]
- Lyrics written by
- Edward Hubbell Chapin, [Traditional]
- Language
- English
- Comments
-
aka "The Dying Cowboy". Adapted from a mid-19th century poem from Edward Hubbell Chapin, "The Ocean-Buried", the song was transformed by the end of the 19th century into a cowboy song as it was carried westward. Most performances are named "(Oh) Bury Me NOT on the Lone Prairie", but can also be titled "(Oh) Bury Me OUT on the Lone Prairie".
Some of the performances titled "Bury Me OUT..." actually use the lyrics of a related 1934 song by Carson Robison called Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie (e.g., Roy Rogers' "Bury Me out on the Lone Prairie" and Johnnie Ray's "Oh Bury Me out on the Lone Prairie").
NOTE: There is different song without the word "Lone" in the title called (Oh) Bury Me out on the Prairie that can be confused with this song. The other song has a very different melody. Vernon Dalhart recorded both versions, his 1930 Oh Bury Me out on the Prairie & his 1927 Oh Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie.
Oh, bury me not on the lone prairie
These words came low and mournfully
From the pallid lips of a youth who lay
On the bloody ground at the close of day - Licensing
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