The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Come all you old time cowboys
And listen to my song
Please do not grow weary
I'll not detain you long
Concerning some wild cowboys
Who did agree to go
And spend the summer pleasant
On the range of the buffalo
Well I found myself in Griffin
In eighteen eighty-three
When a well-known famous drover
Come a'walkin' up to me
Sayin' "How do you do young feller
And how'd you like to go
And spend a summer pleasant
On the trail of the buffalo?"
Well me being out of work right then
To that drover I did say
"This goin' out on the buffalo road
Depends upon your pay
If you pay good wages
Transportation to and fro
Well I think I might go with you
On the range of the buffalo"
Yes I will pay good wages
And transportation too
If you'll agree to work for me
Until the season's through
But if you do grow homesick
And try and run away
You'll starve to death out on the trail
And you'll also lose your pay
Well with all this flatterin' talkin'
He signed up quite a train
Some ten or twelve in number
All able bodied men
Our trip it was a pleasant one
As we hit the Westward Row
Until we struck ol' Boggy Creek
In old New Mexico
Well, here our pleasures ended
And our troubles all begun
When a lightnin' storm come up on us
And it made the cattle run
We got full of the stickers
From the cactus that did grow
And the outlaws waiting to pick us off
In old New Mexico
Well the working season ended
But the drover would not pay
He said "You went and drunk too much
You're all in debt to me"
But the cowboys never had heard
Of such a thing as a bankrupt law
So we left the drover's bones to bleach
On the range of the buffalo
And listen to my song
Please do not grow weary
I'll not detain you long
Concerning some wild cowboys
Who did agree to go
And spend the summer pleasant
On the range of the buffalo
Well I found myself in Griffin
In eighteen eighty-three
When a well-known famous drover
Come a'walkin' up to me
Sayin' "How do you do young feller
And how'd you like to go
And spend a summer pleasant
On the trail of the buffalo?"
Well me being out of work right then
To that drover I did say
"This goin' out on the buffalo road
Depends upon your pay
If you pay good wages
Transportation to and fro
Well I think I might go with you
On the range of the buffalo"
Yes I will pay good wages
And transportation too
If you'll agree to work for me
Until the season's through
But if you do grow homesick
And try and run away
You'll starve to death out on the trail
And you'll also lose your pay
Well with all this flatterin' talkin'
He signed up quite a train
Some ten or twelve in number
All able bodied men
Our trip it was a pleasant one
As we hit the Westward Row
Until we struck ol' Boggy Creek
In old New Mexico
Well, here our pleasures ended
And our troubles all begun
When a lightnin' storm come up on us
And it made the cattle run
We got full of the stickers
From the cactus that did grow
And the outlaws waiting to pick us off
In old New Mexico
Well the working season ended
But the drover would not pay
He said "You went and drunk too much
You're all in debt to me"
But the cowboys never had heard
Of such a thing as a bankrupt law
So we left the drover's bones to bleach
On the range of the buffalo
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Buffalo Skinners Lyrics as written by Woody Guthrie
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.