Strawberry Roan
by Nat Vincent, Curley Fletcher, and Fred Howard
"Curly Fletcher was
a very famous rodeo rider who also wrote poems, some of
which were published in local newspapers in the towns he
appeared in. When he broke both arms and legs and could
no longer ride, he brought us this poem and offered to
sell it for two hundred dollars. I told him I would buy
it, but I would give him credit and a full share of
royalties if it ever sold as a song. I broke the poem up
into stanzas and wrote a refrain for each one. It was
first used in the Ken Maynard movie, Strawberry Roan,
made by Republic Pictures; and later on by Gene Autry in
a Columbia picture using the same title." — Nat Vincent
Strawberry Roan
Let me tell you a tale, a good one I own
Of a bucking old bronc, a strawberry roan
I was hanging 'round town, not earning a dime
Being out of a job, just a-spending my time
When a stranger steps up, and he says, "I suppose
You're a bronc-bustin' man from the looks of your
clothes"
So I says, "Guess you're right, there's none I can't
tame
If it's ridin' wild ponies, that's my middle name."
Oh that strawberry roan, oh that strawberry roan
He says he's a cayuse that's never been rode
The guy that gets him is bound to be throwed
Throwed off his strawberry roan.
So I gets all het up and asks what he pays
If I rides this old nag a couple of days
Then he offers me ten, says I, "I'm your man
For the bronc never lived yet that I couldn't fan."
So he says, "Come on, Bud, I will give you a chance"
In his buckboard he hops and rides to his ranch
Until morning we stayed, then right after chuck
We go out to see how this old outlaw could buck.
Oh that strawberry roan
I'll break him to saddle or break my own dome
I'll ride him until he lies down with a groan
Bring on your strawberry roan.
In the corral I looks, and there, all alone
Is this sleepy old nag, this strawberry roan
He's got spavined old legs and small pigeon toes
And a pair of pig eyes and a long Roman nose
He's got little pin ears, they're all split at the tips
In the middle he's lean, but wide at the hips
So I puts on my spurs and coils up my twine
And I says to the stranger, "That ten-spot is mine."
Oh that strawberry roan, oh that strawberry roan
I'll ride him until he lies down with a groan
There's nary a bronco I couldn't bring home
Bring on your strawberry roan.
Then I puts on the blinds, it sure was a fight
Then my saddle comes next; I screws it down tight
Then I piles on his back, and well, I knew then
If I rides this old pony, I'll sure earn my ten
For he bowed his old neck, and he leaped from the ground
Twenty circles he made before he came down
He's the worst buckin' bronc I've seen on the range
He can turn on a nickel and give you some change.
Oh that strawberry roan, oh that strawberry roan
He went toward the East, then came down toward the West
To stay in his middle I'm doing my best
Oh that old strawberry roan.
There's no foolin', I'll say, this pony can step
But I'm still sittin' tight and earning a rep
When my stirrups I lose, and also my hat
And I starts pullin' leather, as blind as a bat
And he makes one more jump; he is headed up high
Leaves me sittin; on air way up in the sky
Guess I turned over twice and comes back to earth
And I starts to cussin' the day of his birth.
Oh that strawberry roan, oh that strawberry roan
That sun-fishin' critter's worth leavin' alone
There's nary a buster from Texas to Nome
Could ride that strawberry roan.
