Jim Bob Tinsley wrote, “’The Cowboy’s Sweet By-and-By' surely is known by more titles, and is claimed to have been written by more composers, than any other traditional cowboy song.” Other titles: “The Cowboy’s Dream,” The Riders of Judgment,” “The Cowboy’s Heaven,” “Roll on, Little Dogies,” “The Cowboy’s Vision” and more. It was probably written just after the Civil War, during the early days of the great cattle trail drives.
Tinsley wrote, “The religion of the old-time cowboy was an individual creed. Distances between churches were too great, and he was too much on the move to take part in organized religious activities. Yet he was not a godless individual. He developed a strong moral code through a close association with nature. He knew right from wrong and was harsh on those who failed to live up to an unwritten canon of ethics” (He Was Singin’ This Song, p. 116.)
“Tally book” referred to the notebook in which a cattleman kept a record of the number of his stock. At a sale yard, the count was often done by two men -- one representing the seller and one the buyer -- as the cattle were herded through a chute. "Rusties” were runt or undeveloped cattle which were usually cut out of the herd before starting to market. “Dogies” (from the Mexican word, "dogal") were motherless calves (often, runts).
(1)
Last [G] night as I lay on the [C] prairie,
And [D7] looked at the stars in the [G] sky,
I wondered if ever a [C] cowboy
Would [D7] drift to that sweet by and [G] by.
CHORUS:
[G] on, roll on. Roll on, roll on,
Roll [D7] on, little dogies, roll [G] on.
(2) They say there will be a great round-up,
(3) I know there is many a stray cowboy,
(4) For they, like steers that are locoed,
(5) I’m scared I will be a stray yearling,
(6) They tell of another Big Owner,
(7) They say he will never forget you,
CLICK HERE to learn more about US copyright laws
Author unknown
[C] Roll on, roll [D7] on, Roll on, little dogies, roll
And cowboys like dogies will stand,
To be marked by Riders of Judgment,
Who are posted and know every brand.
Who’ll be lost at that great final sale,
When he might have gone into green pastures,
Had he known of the dim, narrow trail.
Stampede at the sight of a hand,
Are dragged with a rope to the round-up,
Or get marked with some crooked man’s brand.
A maverick, unbranded on high,
And get cut in the bunch with the rusties
When the Boss of the Riders goes by.
Who’s never overstocked, so they say,
But who always makes room for the sinner,
Who turns to the straight, narrow way.
That he knows ever action and look.
So for safety you’d better get branded,
Get your name in the great Tally book.
We believe this song is no longer subject to copyright laws. However, in keeping with the letter of the U.S. Copyright laws, we advise you that if there is any question in your mind about a song's status then it should not be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research. If you reproduce a copyrighted song for purposes in excess of "fair use," then you may be liable for copyright infringement.
