FORGOTTEN MUSIC: RAGTIME COWBOY JOE

"Honey, are you going to do a forgotten music post this month?"

     "Um, yeah.  Why?"

     "I want you to do it on Ragtime Cowboy Joe."

     "What?"

     "Ragtime Cowboy Joe."

     "Is that really considered forgotten music?"

     "Well, I don't think everyone has heard it.  Besides, my father used to sing it to me."

     "He sang a lot of songs to you.  He considered himself the poor man's Phil Harris."

     "I like this one.  My father sang it to me and I think you should write about it."

     "Well it's an old song, anyway.  Any idea how old it is?"

     "Well it's pretty old...I'm not too sure how old."

     "How about 99 years?"

     "Really?"

     "Yep.  It was written in 1912.  A guy named Grant Clark did the lyrics and Lewis F. Muir and Maurice Abrahams did the music."

     "Those names sound familiar.  Should I know them?"

     "They also wrote Second Hand Rose."

     "Then I should know them."

      "Maybe we should wait until next year to write about the song.  Then it would a hundred years old.  You know, a centennial tribute or somethi--"

     "No. Do it now.  My father used to sing it to me."

     "Okay.  Let's see...Bob Roberts recorded it in 1912."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XChupTtkIII

     "Are there any better recordings?

     "Sure.  It's been recorded by Jo Stafford."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIunOA58AVY&NR=1

     "And by Slim Whitman."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI6Tfuw7A24&feature=related

     "And some guy called Sourdough Slim"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJbg84YYBH4&feature=related

     "Even the Muppets got into the act."

     "Really?"

     "Really."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojYlma2qQlw&feature=related

     "And it's been on the player piano..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FE4X5jIh_U&feature=related

     "And on a twelve string and banjo..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FE4X5jIh_U&feature=related

      "And it's even been done by Mitch Miller and the Sing-Along Gang."

     "That just has to be cheesy!"

     "It is."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUSJMksntFg&feature=related

     "Of course, there's always one of the most popular versions."

     "Sons of the Pioneers?"

     "No."

      "My father never recorded the song."

      "No, he never recorded anything."

      "Then who?"

      I gave an evil grin.

      "No!  You wouldn't!"

     My evil grin got wider.

     "No-o-o-o-o-o!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV0H5dV8ku0&feature=related

     "BWAHAHA!"