VA - Ghost Riders In The Sky (A Butterboy Compilation) (7 x CDs) + Bonus Comics

GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY: A COWBOY LEGEND

VA - Ghost Riders In The Sky (A Butterboy Compilation) (7 x CDs) + Bonus Comics

"An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day / Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way" ... Thus begins one of the most beautiful and famous country songs of all time.  "Ghost Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend"

The song written in 1948 by Stan Jones, is a classic country/western song that tells a thrilling and haunting story of a cowboy who sees a vision of the spirits of dead cowboys chasing a herd of cattle in the sky. The song is based on an old Native American legend and the melody is derived from the Civil War-era song “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”.

Stan Jones, who was also a film and television actor and a lover of the Old West. He said he was inspired by an old Native American story that he heard when he was 12 years old, about the spirits of dead cowboys chasing a herd of cattle in the sky. The old Native American resided north-east of the Douglas, Arizona, border town, a few miles behind D Hill, north of Agua Prieta, Sonora said that he believed that when souls vacate their physical bodies, they reside as spirits in the sky, resembling ghost riders. Stan Jones related this story to Wayne Hester, a boyhood friend (later owner of the Douglas Cable Company). As both boys were looking at the clouds, Stan shared what the old Native American had told him, looking in amazement as the cloudy shapes were identified as the "ghost riders" that years later, would be transposed into lyrics. 

He recorded his own version of the song, but the first recording and first release of the song “Ghost Riders In The Sky: A Cowboy Legend” was by Bob Geddin's Cavaliers in 1948. They were a vocal group from Oakland, California, led by blues producer and songwriter Bob Geddins. The group consisted of George Salter, Bill Bostic, Lafayette Thomas, Jimmy Wilson, and Vann Eldridge. Their version of the song was released as a single on Cava-Tone Recording label.

The song became a hit when several artists recorded their own versions of it in 1949 and 1950. The most successful one was by Vaughn Monroe, who reached number 1 on the Billboard magazine chart with his version. The song has been recorded by hundreds of performers over the years, including chart success by artists such as The Outlaws, Bing Crosby (with the Ken Darby Singers), Frankie Laine, Burl Ives (two different versions), Marty Robbins, The Ramrods and Johnny Cash, and The Highwaymen.  To date there have been 365 versions recorded.

The song tells a folk tale of a cowboy who has a vision of red-eyed, steel-hooved cattle thundering across the sky, being chased by the spirits of damned cowboys. One warns him that if he does not change his ways, he will be doomed to join them, forever “trying to catch the Devil’s herd across these endless skies”. The song is based on the legend of Stampede Mesa, a place in Texas where a cruel trail boss caused a stampede that killed hundreds of cattle and cowboys, as well as a family living in a homestead on the hill. The legend says that the ghosts of the cattle and cowboys still haunt the mesa and can be seen on stormy nights.

The song is captivating and haunting, with its vivid imagery and catchy chorus. The lyrics are simple but powerful, conveying a sense of awe and fear at the sight of the ghost riders. The music is also memorable and catchy, with its distinctive guitar riff and harmonica solo. The song has a strong rhythm and tempo, creating a sense of movement and urgency. The song also has a melancholic and nostalgic tone, reflecting the cowboy’s regret and longing for redemption.

The song is a masterpiece of storytelling and music, and has influenced many other songs and works over the years. It has also been used in many movies, TV shows, video games, and commercials, showing its enduring popularity and appeal. It is considered one of the greatest Western songs of all time by the Western Writers of America.

If you want to experience a song that will transport you to another time and place, and make you feel both thrilled and moved. It is a song that will stay with you long after you hear it.

Presented here are 7 CDs each with a theme, CD1 covers the original and country versions, CD2 & CD3 are Rock versions, CD4 & CD5 are Pop Versions and CD6 & CD7 are instrumentals. Also included as a bonus are the first 7 comics based on the "The Worlds Most Mysterious Western Hero! The Ghost Rider" circa 1967. (I have included a comic reader app for those who want to read them)

So, if you want to experience a song that will transport you to another time and place, and make you feel both thrilled and moved. It is a song that will stay with you long after you hear it.

Lyrics

An old cowpoke went riding out one dark and windy day,

Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way,

When all at once a mighty herd of red-eyed cows he saw,

A ploughin' through the ragged skies

And up a cloudy draw.

Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,

The ghost herd in the sky.

Their brands were still on fire and their hooves was made of steel,

Their horns wuz black and shiny and their hot breath he could feel,

A bolt of fear went through him as they thundered through the sky,

For he saw the riders comin' hard

And he heard their mournful cry.

Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,

Ghost riders in the sky.

Their faces gaunt their eyes were blurred and shirts all soaked

With sweat,

They're ridin' hard to catch that herd but they ain't caught them yet

'Cause they've got to ride forever on that range up in the sky,

On horses snortin' fire

As they ride on, hear their cry.

Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,

Ghost riders in the sky.

As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name,

"If you want to save your soul from hell a-riding on our range,

Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride

A-try'ng to catch the devil's herd

Across these endless skies."

Yippee-yi-ay, yippee-yi-o,

The ghost herd in the sky.

Ghost riders in the sky.

 

(Stan Jones)

Special thanks to Pol (regular contributor) who suggested this compilation be developed.

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Track lists

CD1

01 Bob Geddins' Cavaliers - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) (1948) 3:00

02 Stan Jones & His Death Valley Rangers - Riders In The Sky 2:51

03 Burl Ives - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) 3:09

04 Vaugn Monroe - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) 3:00

05 Sons Of The Pioneers - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:18

06 Gene Autry - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:13

07 Willie Wells And The Blue Ridge Mountain Grass - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:50

08 Walter Brennan - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:51

09 Marty Robbins - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:32

10 Geoff Castellucci - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:20

11 Christopher Lee - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:03

12 Ames Brothers - Riders In The Sky 2:52

13 Johnny Western - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:11

14 Slim Whitman - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:19

15 Last Mile Ramblers - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:27

16 Fred Penner - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:36

17 Riders In The Sky - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:19

18 Mark James - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:24

19 Brenn Hill - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:16

20 Derry Grey - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:25

21 Johnny Cash - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:47

22 Carl Vaughan - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:46

23 Grassmasters - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:49

24 Old West Trio - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:30

25 Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson - Ghost Riders In The Sky LIVE 4:15

CD2

01 Dennis Stoner - Riders In The Sky 4:03

02 Johnny Barakat And The Vestells - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 2:19

03 Susan Christie - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:26

04 Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Ghost Riders In The Sky 1:32

05 Frode Veddinge & Andy Sundstrøm - Riders In The Sky 3:26

06 Screaming Orphans - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:57

07 Sleepy Labeef - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:16

08 Space Apaches - Ghost Riders In The Sky 5:56

09 Judy Collins  (feat. Nashville Rhythm Section Ghost Riders Chorus) - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:54

10 Kaleidoscope (us) - Ghost Riders In The Sky 5:27

11 Sir Psyko & His Monsters - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:10

12 Scary Bitches - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:49

13 Lightning [usa] - Ghost Riders In The Sky 5:35

14 Mary Mccaslin - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:04

15 Ron Keel Band - Ghost Riders In The Sky 5:46

16 Mungo Jerry - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:48

17 Ghoultown - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:59

18 Infamis - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:39

CD3

19 R.E.M. - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:17

20 Bob Dylan - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 3:37

21 Concrete Blonde - Ghost Riders In The Sky 5:08

22 Outlaws - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 5:51

23 Riats - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:27

24 Lightning - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 5:35

25 King Kurt - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:12

26 Spiderbait - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:47

27 Blues Brothers 2000 - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) 3:10

28 Deborah Harry - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:12

29 Chrome Division - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:36

30 Dr. Edward Daniel Taylor - Riders In The Sky 4:32

31 Elvis Presley - Ghost Riders In The Sky (Rehearsal Jam) 2:39

32 Houston Outlaws - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 5:51

33 Devildriver - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:44

34 Dezperadoz - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 3:40

CD4

01 Vaugn Monroe - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) 3:00

02 Dean Martin - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:14

03 Bing Crosby - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) 3:03

04 Bobby Vinton - Riders In The Sky Ghost 2:45

05 Gene Jimae - Riders In The Sky 2:22

06 Mickey Katz - Borscht Riders In The Sky 2:45

07 Brothers Four - Riders In The Sky 2:21

08 Four Flares - Riders In The Sky 2:32

09 Kenneth Spencer - Ghost Rider 2:26

10 Frankie Laine - Riders In The Sky 3:19

11 Bob James - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 3:31

12 Kay Starr - Riders In The Sky 2:07

13 Vic Damone - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:34

14 Jimmie Rodgers - Riders In The Sky 2:30

15 Lawrence Welk - Riders In The Sky 1:57

16 Eddy Arnold - Riders In The Sky 2:47

17 Los Pekenikes - Jinetes En El Cielo 2:29

18 Lee Press-on And The Nails - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:00

CD5

19 Peggy Lee - Riders In The Sky (A Cowboy Legend) 2:43

20 Tony Pantano - Ghost Riders In The Sky, Rawhide 3:05

21 Lorne Greene - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:28

22 Scat Man Crothers - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:45

23 Frank Ifield - Riders In The Sky 2:55

24 Tom Jones - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:04

25 Robert Horton - Riders In The Sky 2:51

26 Winchester Chorale - Riders In The Sky 3:10

27 Les Sunlights - Les Cavaliers Du Ciel 2:58

28 Rod Mckuen Feat. Sonny Burke Orchestra - Riders In The Sky 2:11

29 Chip Hawkes - Riders In The Sky 3:30

30 Carl Emroy - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:39

31 Randy Van Horne Singers - Riders In The Sky 2:45

32 Digital Nightmares - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:53

33 Rafi Ginat - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:31

34 Brothers Four - Riders In The Sky 2:17

35 Stanford Mendicants - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:50

36 Les Champions - Les Cavaliers Du Ciel 2:13

CD6

01 The Ramrods - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 2:35

02 Original Surfaris - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:24

03 Roswell Rudd - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:13

04 Jumping Jewels - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 2:33

05 Chantays - Riders In The Sky 2:57

06 Fendermen - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:39

07 Arlen Roth - Ghost Riders In The Sky 4:29

08 Spotnicks - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:04

09 Uniques - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:12

10 Apache - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:48

11 Scorpions - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 2:21

12 California Guitar Trio - Ghost Riders On The Storm 3:17

13 Playboys - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:36

14 Titans - Riders In The Sky 2:17

15 Baja Marimba Band - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:46

16 Steve Stannard - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:32

17 Ventures - (Ghost) Riders In The Sky 2:31

18 Deniz Tek - Riders In The Sky 2:31

19 Davie Allan & The Arrows - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:07

20 Cadillac Angels - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:39

21 Baja Marimba Band - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:51

22 Cyclones - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:10

23 Mermen - Ghost Riders In The Sky (Live) 7:23

CD7

24 Gerald Woodworth - Riders In The Sky 2:35

25 Matchbox - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:16

26 Hill Wiltschinsky Guitar Duo - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:27

27 Justin Johnson - Ghost Riders In The Sky 6:43

28 Pussycat Spice Boys - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:06

29 Dick Dale & His Del-tones - Riders In The Sky 2:14

30 Mike Stevens - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:33

31 Surfriders - Ghost Riders In The Sky 1:52

32 Takeshi Terauchi - Riders In The Sky 1:55

33 Carmets - Riders In The Sky 2:22

34 Kalle Kalima - Riders In The Sky 5:11

35 Los Babys - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:17

36 Meteors - Riders In The Sky 4:01

37 Trashmen - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:43

38 Slapping Suspenders - Ghost Riders In The Sky 3:22

39 Roger Williams - Riders In The Sky 2:29

40 Schibbinz - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:09

41 Neil Levang - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:03

42 Violents - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:58

43 Ricky King - Riders In The Sky 3:04

44 Western Band - Ghost Riders In The Sky 2:12

45 Guido Negraszus - Riders In The Sky 2:33

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