The Boss Is Hanging Out a Rainbow

Bob Nolan
Original copyright: March 30, 1940

Heigh-ho!
Why should I be grievin’?
Stormy clouds are leavin’.
The boss is hangin’ out a rainbow.

Heigh-ho!
Now the grass is greener,
Air is cool and cleaner,
The boss is hangin’ out a rainbow.

I saw him throw his lariat,
A braided lightnin’ strand.
I saw him catch those angry clouds
And burn ‘em with his brand.

Heigh-ho!
Now the sun is blazin’,
Hungry cattle grazin’,
The boss is hangin’ out a rainbow.

NOTE: The lyrics were copied from Bob Nolan's Folio of Original Cowboy Classics No. 2 and the following verse can be found on the Orthacoustic Radio Transcriptions:

Many days I’ve rode the rolling ranges,
Feeling every heartbeat of the West.
Sun and wind and rain and many changes
But that’s because the boss knows what is best.

Bob Nolan reportedly wrote "The Boss is Hangin' Out a Rainbow" for the Columbia Picture Texas Stampede when the sole songwriting chores fell on his shoulders. However, we have been unable to obtain a print of the film to verify this. In 1940 the Sons of the Pioneers recorded this song for the Orthacoustic Radio transcriptions. It wasn't until 1966 that the group recorded it commercially for RCA Victor.

The sheet music was included in Bob Nolan’s Folio of Original Cowboy Classics No, 2, © 1940 by American Music, Inc. The song was registered for copyright on March 30, 1940, when the songbook was published.

The Boss Is Hanging Out a Rainbow (American Music, Inc.)

SONS OF THE PIONEERS TRANSCRIPTION RECORDINGS

Orthacoustic "Symphonies of the Sage" 4A 064053 (1940)
Teleways Transcriptions No. 46
Smokey the Bear radio show, show No. 13 (1956)

Lucky U Programs courtesy of Larry Hopper:
- Transcription disc TR/75, 76 (November 7, 1951)
- Transcription disc TR-180/181 (January 8, 1952)
- Transcription disc TR-421/422 (June 20, 1952)
- Transcription disc TR-539/540 (October 29, 1952)
- Transcription disc TR-676/677 (3 February 1953)