Ridin' Home
Bob Nolan
Original copyright: January 22, 1935
Sun goes down, work’s all done,
Evenin’s here at last.
Moon comes up behind the hills I love
And I’m ridin’ home.
Refrain:
See that lonesome cowboy ridin’ down that lonesome trail.
Moonlight shadows swayin’ to the tune of his lonesome wail.
Well, he’s ridin’ home.
Bed down, dogie, rest awhile,
I’ll be back tomorrow morn
And take you down to where the water’s cool
But now I’m ridin’ home.
Night birds fly thru the sky
Headin’ home with me.
When they get there they’ll tell the one I love
That I’m ridin’ home.
ABOUT THIS SONG
One of Bob Nolan's songs, still loved by those who ride, "Ridin' Home" perfectly evokes the contentment of a tired man on a tired horse heading home to rest and comfort after an honest day's work. The song was one of the Sons of the Pioneers' very first Decca recordings in 1934 and was registered for copyright on January 22, 1935, before Bob began writing for the movies.
By 1937 Columbia Pictures had picked it up for Old Wyoming Trail, a Charles Starrett film. It was included in the Pioneers' 1940 Orthacoustic Symphonies of the Sage. It was, in fact, included in all their radio transcriptions over the years, including the 1951-53 Lucky U Ranch radio show saluting Hank Williams, who had died the same year. Finally, RCA Victor recorded it on June 19, 1959.
SHEET MUSIC
The sheet music was included in The Sons of the Pioneers Song Folio No. 1, ©1936, American Music, Inc.
RECORDINGS
SONS OF THE PIONEERS TRANSCRIPTION RECORDINGS
Standard Radio transcriptions, No.1695, (Tim Spencer solo) (August 8, 1934)
10-2-4 Ranch radio show No. 195 (April 16, 1943 (02)
10-2-4 Time radio show, No. (August 8, 1945) (04)
Orthacoustic Symphonies of the Sage, transcription (059426)
NBC Thesaurus transcriptions, 1898 Side B MS-059426-J (same as Orthacoustic No. 2 Side A)
Teleways Radio Productions transcriptions, Nos. Audition 2, 2, 66, 78, 126, 175, and 208
Lucky U Ranch radio show (courtesy of Larry Hopper)
- Transcriptions disc TR-73/74 (November 6, 1951)
- Transcriptions disc TR-214/215 (January28, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-314/315 (April 7, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-403/404 (June 9, 1952)
- Transcriptions disc TR-563/564 (November 14, 1952)
Smokey the Bear radio shows, episode No. 8 (1955), episode No. 12 (1956)