Halloween Hits – A Cowboy Legend

By Bennett Owen

Credit: Stefano Costantini

My gut feeling is that Ghost Riders in the Sky was inspired by a western cloudburst, one that echoes off the mountaintops and where the lightning rips great holes in the firmament.  The author, Stan Jones says the lyrics are based on a tale a cowboy told him when he was a young lad.

But since its first release in 1949 ‘A Cowboy Legend’ has ensconced itself firmly into America’s discography, a unique and evocative tale that has been retold by more than 50 artists.  Burl Ives did it first but the Sons of the Pioneers, Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins recorded their own classic versions.

Here’s an old recording by The Sons of the Pioneers with Stan Jones telling the story behind the song:

And here’s the Johnny Cash version: