Classic Poem

VERSE 1

Out in Arizona where the bad men are
And the only friend to guide you is an evening star,
The roughest, toughest man, by far,
Is Ragtime Cowboy Joe.
Got his name from singin' to the cows and sheep;
Ev'ry night, they say, he sings the herd to sleep
In a basso, rich and deep,
Crooning soft and low.

REFRAIN

He always sings
Raggy music to the cattle as he swings
Back and forward in the saddle on a horse
That is syncopated, gaited;
And there's such a funny meter
To the roar of his repeater!
How they run,
When they hear that fellow's gun,
Because the Western folks all know
He's a high falutin',
Scootin', shootin'
Son of a gun from Arizona,
Ragtime Cowboy Joe!

VERSE 2

Dressed up ev'ry Sunday in his Sunday clothes,
He then beats it for the village where he always goes;
And ev'ry girl in town is Joe's,
'Cause he's a ragtime bear.
When he starts a-spielin' on the dance hall floor,
No one but a lunatic would start a war;
Wise men know his forty-four
Makes men dance for fair.

REPEAT REFRAIN