Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend
Encyclopedia
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and cowboy-style
Western music (North America)
Western music originated as a form of American folk music. Originally composed by and about the people who settled and worked throughout the Western United States and Western Canada. Directly related musically to old English, Scottish, and Irish folk ballads, Western music celebrates the life of...
song. It was written on June 5, 1948 by Stan Jones
Stan Jones (songwriter)
Stan Jones was an American songwriter and actor.Stanley Davis "Stan" Jones was born in Douglas, Arizona, and grew up on a ranch. When his father died, his mother moved the family to Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of California at Berkeley, competing in rodeos to make money...
. A number of versions were crossover hits on the pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
charts in 1949
1949 in music
-Events:*February 4 – Ljuba Welitsch makes her Metropolitan Opera début in Salome.*September 5 - Wagnerian tenor Walter Widdop appears at The Proms, singing "Lohengrin's Farewell", the day before his sudden death at the age of 51....
. The ASCAP database lists the song as "Riders in the Sky" (title code: 480028324), but the title has been written as "Ghost Riders", "Ghost Riders in the Sky", and "A Cowboy Legend".
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
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
's herd across these endless skies". Jones said that he had been told the story when he was 12 years old by an old cowboy friend. The story resembles the northern European mythic Wild Hunt
Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is an ancient folk myth prevalent across Northern, Western and Central Europe. The fundamental premise in all instances is the same: a phantasmal, spectral group of huntsmen with the accoutrements of hunting, horses, hounds, etc., in mad pursuit across the skies or along the ground,...
.
More than 50 performers have recorded versions of the song. Charting versions were recorded by The Outlaws, Vaughn Monroe
Vaughn Monroe
Vaughn Wilton Monroe was an American baritone singer, trumpeter and big band leader and actor, most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for recording and radio.-Biography:...
("Riders in the Sky" with orchestra and vocal quartet), by Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
(with the Ken Darby
Ken Darby
Kenneth Lorin Darby was an American composer, vocal arranger, lyricist, and conductor. His film scores were recognized with three Academy Awards and one Grammy Award.- Personal life :...
Singers), Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
, Burl Ives, (two different versions), Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
, The Ramrods
The Ramrods (instrumental group)
The Ramrods were an American instrumental pop group in the late 1950s and 1960s, who had a hit in 1961 with their version of the song " Riders in the Sky"....
and Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
. Other recordings were made by Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
(with the Jud Conlon Singers) and Spike Jones
Spike Jones
Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Brothers cartoon characters, performed a drunken, hiccuping verse for 1942's "Clink! Clink! Another Drink"...
and his City Slickers. Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
sang it in the 1949 movie, Riders in the Sky. Jones himself recorded it for his 1957 album Creakin' Leather. Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
, Impaled Nazarene
Impaled Nazarene
Impaled Nazarene is a Finnish black metal band that incorporates elements of grindcore in their sound and punk rock in their aesthetics. The band is currently signed to Osmose Productions of France....
and Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter
Die Apokalyptischen Reiter is a Weimar, Germany based heavy metal band signed to Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America...
have also made covers.
The melody is based on the song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is a popular song of the American Civil War that expressed people's longing for the return of their friends and relatives who were fighting in the war.-Origins:...
."
According to Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
, it inspired the classic Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
song "Riders on the Storm
Riders on the Storm
"Riders on the Storm" is a song by The Doors from their 1971 album, L.A. Woman. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, number 22 on the UK singles charts and number 7 in the Netherlands.-Overview:...
."
The song was also the inspiration for the Marvel Comics Western character "Ghost Rider
Phantom Rider
The Phantom Rider is the name of several fictional characters, Old West heroic gunfighters appearing in comic books in the Marvel Comics universe...
" later renamed Phantom Rider (not to be confused with the later character named "Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (comics)
Ghost Rider is the name of several fictional supernatural antiheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Night Rider and subsequently to Phantom Rider.The first supernatural Ghost Rider is...
").
The chorus lines of this song are and have been since the 1960s a terrace song of the Aston Villa Football Club of England. The words have been modified to include the line "Holte Enders in the Sky", a reference to the occupants of the vast stand behind the goal at the southern end of the Villa Park stadium.
Recordings
- The original version, by Burl IvesBurl IvesBurl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an American actor, writer and folk music singer. As an actor, Ives's work included comedies, dramas, and voice work in theater, television, and motion pictures. Music critic John Rockwell said, "Ives's voice .....
, was recorded on February 17, 1949 and released by Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
as catalog number 38445. The recording first appeared on the Billboard charts on April 22, 1949, lasting 6 weeks and peaking at position #21. - Vaughn MonroeVaughn MonroeVaughn Wilton Monroe was an American baritone singer, trumpeter and big band leader and actor, most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for recording and radio.-Biography:...
and His Orchestra. Vocalists: Vaughn Monroe and The Moon Men. Their version, the best-selling one, was recorded on March 14, 1949 and released by RCA Victor Records as catalog numberCatalog numbering systems for single recordsThis article presents the numbering systems used by various record companies for single records.- Capitol :...
20-3411 (in USA) and by EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
on the His Master's Voice label as catalog numbers BD 1247, HN 3014, HQ 2071, IM 1425 and GY 878. The recording first appeared on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts on April 15, 1949, lasting 22 weeks and peaking at position #1. - The Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
version was recorded on March 22, 1949 and released by Decca RecordsDecca RecordsDecca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
as catalog number 24618. The recording first appeared on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
charts on May 6, 1949, lasting 6 weeks and peaking at position #14. - The Peggy LeePeggy LeePeggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
version was recorded on April 18, 1949 and released by Capitol RecordsCapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
as catalog number 57-608. It reached #2 in Billboard's Most Played By Disc Jockeys listing without appearing in the retail Top 30. - The Spike JonesSpike JonesMel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and other Warner Brothers cartoon characters, performed a drunken, hiccuping verse for 1942's "Clink! Clink! Another Drink"...
version was recorded on May 24, 1949 and released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-3741. Copies of the original release, containing lyrics ridiculing RCA stockholder Vaughn Monroe, are rare. The recording parodies the original Monroe recording, injecting much of Jones' quintessential humor along the way. - Another popular early version was recorded by the Sons of the PioneersSons of the PioneersThe Sons of the Pioneers are one of America's earliest Western singing groups whose classic recordings set a new standard for performers of Western music. Known for the high quality of their vocal performances, musicianship, and songwriting, they produced finely-crafted and innovative recordings...
. - Trigemeos Vocalistas recorded a version of Santos Rodrigues as "Vaqueiros de Marajo" in 1950 Odeon's 13045 recording side A.
- This song was then recorded by the Norman Luboff Choir and released in their album, "Songs of the Cowboy" in 1960.
- The Brothers Four recorded a driven, up-tempo version (with edited lyrics and truncated to three stanzas) for their third LP, "B.M.O.C.: Best Music On/Off Campus," for Columbia Records in 1961.
- A twangy guitar instrumental version by The RamrodsThe Ramrods (instrumental group)The Ramrods were an American instrumental pop group in the late 1950s and 1960s, who had a hit in 1961 with their version of the song " Riders in the Sky"....
, which featured the spooky ghostly sounds of mooing cattle, broncos cheers, and sound of whips, made the Billboard Top 30 in 1961, as well as the Top 10 in the UK. This was covered by UK band The ScorpionsThe Scorpions (London band)The Scorpions were formed in 1959 in Battersea, South West London, and released two singles in 1961. Founder members were brothers Ted Barber - lead guitar; John Barber - bass guitar; Mick LeDieu - drums; Ivor Knight The Scorpions were formed in 1959 in Battersea, South West London, and released...
(not the German rock band) on the "ParlophoneParlophoneParlophone is a record label that was founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch was formed in 1923 as "Parlophone" which developed a reputation in the 1920s as a leading jazz label. It was acquired in 1927 by the Columbia Graphophone Company which...
" Label. - Bob JamesBob James (musician)Robert McElhiney James is a jazz keyboardist, arranger and producer.-Biography:During the 1970s, Bob James played a major role in establishing the smooth jazz genre. "Angela", the instrumental theme from the sitcom Taxi, is probably Bob James' most well-known work to date...
recording as Bob James Trio included it as the last track on his very first album Bold ConceptionsBold ConceptionsBold Conceptions is the debut trio album by Bob James made on August 13, 1962. The album showed a cartoon picture of Bob James playing on his piano.-Track listing:# "A Moment's Notice" - 3:06# "Nardis" - 5:27...
released in 1962. This may be a bonus track on the CD but it is consistent with the adventurous nature of the rest of the album. - Frankie LaineFrankie LaineFrankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
recorded a version of it on his 1963 album Wanderlust. - Daniel AmosDaniel AmosDaniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
recorded a Liver version of it on their Miracle Faith Telethon CD. - Dick DaleDick DaleDick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
recorded a version in the surf style and released it on his second album, King of the Surf GuitarKing of the Surf GuitarKing of the Surf Guitar is the second studio album of surf music by Dick Dale, released in 1963, featuring original and cover songs.-Track listing:#"King of the Surf Guitar"#"The Lonesome Road"#"Kansas City"#"Dick Dale Stomp"#"What I Say"...
, in 1963. For a time it also accompanied a NASA montage as part of the preshow video on Space MountainSpace Mountain (Disneyland)Space Mountain is a steel roller coaster attraction in Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. After the success of the Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain, the Imagineers made plans to build another on the United States West Coast. The ride opened on May 27, 1977, ten years after the...
at Disneyland. - Duane EddyDuane EddyDuane Eddy is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he had a string of hit records, produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including "Rebel Rouser", "Peter Gunn", and "Because They're Young"...
brought his electrified "twangy guitar" sound along with a sax edition by Jim HornJim HornJim Horn is an American saxophonist and woodwind player. He was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for five years, playing sax and flute on the road, and in the recording studio...
to a 1996 version on an Curb Album "Ghost Rider." - Boots Clements recorded a country-discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
version of the song in 1981. - Recorded by Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
in June 1970 at MGM's soundstage in Culver City. - Five Penny Piece recorded a parody in 1977, "Piddling Pete", which was about a dog that left "his work on every corner, his work on every street".
- Riders in the Sky recorded this song on their debut album, Three on the TrailThree on the TrailThree on the Trail is an album by the Western band Riders in the Sky, released by The Rounder Records Group.Riders in the Sky specializes in Western singing in the style of the Sons of the Pioneers; the Riders became one of Rounder's most popular groups for their vocals and good humor.-Track...
, in 1979, and on several of their subsequent albums. - Johnny CashJohnny CashJohn R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
made a recording in 1979 which was faithful to the original. He also recorded it live with Willie NelsonWillie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
for 1998's VH1 StorytellersVH1 StorytellersStorytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...
. In that recording, Willie Nelson misses the start of the third verse because he forgets the text, and ends up switching the third and fourth verses. - The rock band Outlaws made a recording on their 1980 album Ghost Riders that left out the last verse. This version has often been mistakenly credited to The Marshall Tucker BandMarshall Tucker BandThe Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
. - A version by The ShadowsThe ShadowsThe Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
reached number 12 in the UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1980. This version was a semitone higher than the original. - Milton NascimentoMilton Nascimento-Biography:Nascimento's mother was the maid Maria Nascimento. As a baby, Milton Nascimento was adopted by his mother's former employers: the couple Josino Brito Campos, a banker employee, mathematics teacher and electronic technician; and Lília Silva Campos, a music teacher and choir singer...
recorded a version in Portuguese as "Cavaleiros Do Céu" on his 1981 album Caçador de Mim. - Pop Choir & Orchestra of Bosnian Broadcast in SarajevoSarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
recorded a version in BosnianBosnian languageBosnian is a South Slavic language, spoken by Bosniaks. As a standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect, it is one of the three official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
as "Jahači neba" on his 1986 album "Muzika raspoloženja". - There is also a Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
version called "The Dirtiest Town in The West" with alternated lyrics. It was first aired in 1982. - Impaled NazareneImpaled NazareneImpaled Nazarene is a Finnish black metal band that incorporates elements of grindcore in their sound and punk rock in their aesthetics. The band is currently signed to Osmose Productions of France....
recorded a black metalBlack metalBlack metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
version of the song, which was released on the Sadogoat EP in 1993. Later it was included in the CD version of their bonus album Tol Cormpt Norz Norz Norz. - The Alberta Celtic rock group Captain TractorCaptain TractorCaptain Tractor is a Canadian folk rock band, based in Edmonton, Alberta. They play a punk-influenced variant of Celtic folk music, similar to such bands as Great Big Sea, The Pogues or Spirit of the West...
recorded an unusual version for their 1994 album Land. New lyrics describe the frenzy of corruption in a prairie town at the climax of a real estate bubbleReal estate bubbleA real estate bubble or property bubble is a type of economic bubble that occurs periodically in local or global real estate markets...
. Rather than fire-and-brimstone Christian imagery, the warning takes the form of vaguely ZenZenZen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
lamentations—"The winds still blow / The rains still fall / The trees don't seem to care AT ALL!" - Ned SubletteNed SubletteNed Sublette is an American composer, musician, record producer and musicologist. Sublette studied Spanish Classical Guitar with Hector Garcia at the University of New Mexico and with Emilio Pujol in Spain. He studied composition with Kenneth Gaburo at the University of California, San Diego...
included a merengueMerengue musicMerengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
rendition on his Cowboy Rumba (1999). - The Blues BrothersThe Blues BrothersThe Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
performed the song in the movie Blues Brothers 2000Blues Brothers 2000Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. Directed by John Landis, the film featured Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameos by many musicians.-Plot:...
. Similar to the "RawhideRawhide (song)"Rawhide" is a Western song written by Ned Washington and composed by Dimitri Tiomkin in 1958. It was originally recorded by Frankie Laine...
" scene in the first movie, the band is mistakenly booked at a bluegrassBluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
festival (announced to the crowd as the "Bluegrass Brothers"). - Dolan EllisDolan EllisFrancis Dolan Ellis has been Arizona's Official State Balladeer since 1966, as appointed by ten consecutive governors. Governor Sam Goddard made the first appointment. Since then, official balladeers have been appointed in other states.In his role as Balladeer, Dolan has written more than 300...
, Arizona's Official State Balladeer since 1966, included this as the only cover on his CD, "Tall Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes," released in 2000. He has sung the song throughout the nation and in 20 foreign countries, solo and as a member of the New Christy Minstrels, always telling the folk tale of Stan Jones, the Cochise County cowboy. - The heavy metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Die Apokalyptischen ReiterDie Apokalyptischen ReiterDie Apokalyptischen Reiter is a Weimar, Germany based heavy metal band signed to Nuclear Blast in Europe and The End Records in North America...
recorded a version that was released on their 2006 single, "Friede Sei Mit Dir". - Me First and the Gimme GimmesMe First and the Gimme GimmesMe First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
covered the song on their 2006 album Love Their CountryLove Their CountryLove Their Country is the fifth studio album, and sixth overall by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. It was released on October 17, 2006 by Fat Wreck Chords. The album consists of cover versions of country and western songs....
. - Deborah HarryDebbie HarryDeborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, lead singer of BlondieBlondie (band)Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
, recorded a trance version of the song which features on the soundtrack to the film Three BusinessmenThree BusinessmenThree Businessmen is a film made in 1998. It is a British-Dutch-Spanish-Japanese coproduction directed by Alex Cox. The screenplay is by Tod Davies, who was also the producer....
. The song (produced and arranged by Dan WoolDan WoolOriginally from St. Louis, Missouri where he played in the punk rock band The Strikers, Dan Wool is a San Francisco, California, based musician best known for his work as principal composer in film score soundtrack-group Pray for Rain....
and Pray for RainPray for Rain (Band)Pray for Rain is a San Francisco, California-based music production company and recording group specialising in film soundtracks, led by St. Louis, Missouri musician Dan Wool...
) is available free on her website deborahharry.com. - The VenturesThe VenturesThe Ventures is an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958 in Tacoma, Washington. Founded by Don Wilson and Bob Bogle, the group in its various incarnations has had an enduring impact on the development of music worldwide. With over 100 million records sold, the group is the best-selling...
made a surf rock coverCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the song. - Terry Scott TaylorTerry Scott TaylorTerry Scott Taylor is an American songwriter, record producer, writer and founding member of the bands Daniel Amos and The Swirling Eddies . Taylor is also a member of the roots and alternative music group, Lost Dogs. He is currently based in San Jose, California, USA.Taylor is highly regarded for...
and Daniel AmosDaniel AmosDaniel Amos is a rock band formed in 1974 by Terry Scott Taylor on guitars and vocals, Marty Dieckmeyer on bass guitar, Steve Baxter on guitars and Jerry Chamberlain on lead guitars. Current members include bassist Tim Chandler, guitarist Greg Flesch and drummer Ed McTaggart...
recorded a version in 1990 that appeared on the "Miracle Faith Telethon" compilation album. - Same year 1990, French guitarist and singer Gill DoughertyGill DoughertyGill Dougherty is a French singer and song writer, heavily influenced by 70s and 80s rock, who was born April 1961 in Toulouse.At the end of the seventies, punk rock was sweeping through France and he found inspiration with The Jam, The Clash, Sex Pistols, The B-52's, and The Ramones In France, he...
recorded a half vocal, half instrumental version on his LP "Live In Bourges". - Pedro VargasPedro VargasPedro Vargas Mata was a Mexican singer and actor, from the golden age of Mexican cinema. He was known as the "Nightingale of the Americas".-Biography:...
recorded a version called "Jinetes en el Cielo" in Spanish. - RaphaelRaphael (singer)For the French singer Raphael see Raphaël HarocheMiguel Rafael Martos Sánchez , often simply referred to as Raphael, is a worldwide acclaimed Spanish singer and television, film and theatre actor...
a Spanish singer in the 1970s performed this song, changing the lyrics talking about a cowboy doomed to ride for eternity for breaking a young girl's heart. The song ends happily when the girl saves him from that horrible destinity by crying and praying for him, then letting a rose fall on his grave. - During his tour as "Giant Robot", BucketheadBucketheadBrian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
played a dub style version of the song. - During the credits of the 2007 movie Ghost RiderGhost Rider (film)Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the character of the same name which appeared in Marvel Comics, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who sells his soul to the Devil and transforms into thevigilante Ghost...
, a rock cover by the band SpiderbaitSpiderbaitSpiderbait are an Australian alternative rock band formed in Finley in 1989 by bass guitarist Janet English, singer-drummer Mark Maher , and guitarist Damian Whitty. In 2004 the group's cover version of the 1930s Lead Belly song "Black Betty" reached number one on the ARIA Singles Chart...
is played. An instrumental version is also heard at points in the film. - The children's singer Fred PennerFred PennerFrederick Ralph Cornelius Penner, is a Canadian children's entertainer who gives appearances throughout North America. His television show, Fred Penner's Place, aired on CBC in Canada from 1985 to 1997. It was co-produced by Nickelodeon in 1989 and 1990.Penner was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
performed a child-friendly version of the song and recorded it on his 1980 album The Cat Came Back. Penner's rendition has the phantom cowboy shout "If you want to save your soul you must count ONE cow...TWO cows...THREE cows...FOUR cows...BWA HA HA HA HA!!Count von CountCount von Count, often known simply as "The Count", is one of the Muppet characters on Sesame Street, performed by Jerry Nelson. The Count is a vampire modeled after Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Count Dracula.-Description:...
" - Concrete BlondeConcrete BlondeConcrete Blonde is an alternative rock band based in the United States. They were initially active from 1982 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2004, and once again in 2010.-Biography:...
recorded a version for their last album, 2004's MojaveMojave (album)Mojave is the seventh full-length album from alternative rock band Concrete Blonde.-Track listing:#"The 'A' Road"#"Because I Can"#"True To This"#"Ghost Riders In The Sky"#"Hey Coyote"#"Himalayan Motorcycles"#"Mojave"#"Snakes"...
. - Los Baby'sLos Baby'sLos Baby's are a rock band from Yucatán, Mexico. Their native town of Tizimín is close to Mérida, the state capital.-History:The group began performing together in 1958, at which time it was composed of the four Avila Aranda brothers. They debuted at the Fantasio theater in Mérida in 1960, then...
, a famous 1960s band from Mexico, made the Spanish version called "Jinetes en el Cielo", which mean riders in the sky. - Former REO SpeedwagonREO SpeedwagonREO Speedwagon is an American rock band. Formed in 1967, the band grew in popularity during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. Hi Infidelity is the group's most commercially successful album, selling over ten million copies and charting four Top 40 hits in the US...
guitarist Gary RichrathGary RichrathGary Richrath is an American guitarist, best known as a member of the band REO Speedwagon from 1970 until 1989...
quoted the melody of the song during his unaccompanied guitar solo on the band's 1977 live album, Live: You Get What You Play For. - The German "Western Metal" band DezperadozDezperadozDezperadoz is a German "Western-metal" band and is the side-project of Tom Angelripper's guitarist Alex Kraft. The band plays heavy metal music that is heavily influenced by the soundtracks of the '60s and '70s Spaghetti western movies. They've released three albums, two on the German heavy metal...
(featuring a member of SodomSodom (band)Sodom is a German Thrash metal trio from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981.Along with the bands Kreator and Destruction, Sodom is considered one of the "big three" of Teutonic thrash metal...
) covered the song on their 2000 album The Dawn of Dying. - The Texan band GhoultownGhoultownGhoultown is a popular horrorpunk/gothabilly band from Texas, specializing in a mixture of classic garage punk and psychobilly music and dark, horrifying lyrics...
recorded a version of this song on their album Tales from the Dead WestTales from the Dead WestTales from the Dead West is the first full-length album from Ghoultown, released in 2000 on Angry Planet Records.-Track listing:#La Noche Diablo - 2:35#RotoRiculous - 2:46#Killer in Texas - 4:04#Ghost Riders in the Sky - 2:59#The Burning - 5:05... - The SpotnicksThe SpotnicksThe Spotnicks is an instrumental rock group from Sweden, who were formed in 1961. They were famous for wearing "space suit" costumes on stage, and for their innovative electronic guitar sound...
, a Swedish instrumental rock band, covered this song and released it on The Spotnicks in London. - Finnish melodic death metal band Children of BodomChildren of BodomChildren of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
covered this song under the title 'Ghostriders in the Sky' and have released it on the special edition of their 2008 album BlooddrunkBlooddrunk-Personnel:Children of Bodom*Alexi Laiho – vocals, guitar*Roope Latvala – guitar*Janne Wirman – keyboards*Henkka Seppälä – bass*Jaska Raatikainen – drumsProduction*Produced, recorded, and mixed by Mikko Karmila*Vocals recorded by Peter Tägtgren...
. - Adelaide, Australia band The Fabulaires did a cover version on their Apocalypso 12" E.P. circa 1980.
- Baja Marimba BandBaja Marimba BandThe Baja Marimba Band was a popular musical group led by marimba player Julius Wechter, initially intended by producer Herb Alpert to cash in on the "south of the border" craze started by his own Tijuana Brass...
recorded this song on the album "Watch Out!" in 1966. - Christopher LeeChristopher LeeSir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
recorded a version of this song on the album "Devils, Rogues & Other Villains", released by Nikolas Schreck in 1998 on his Wolfslair label. - The Hitchcocks, an instrumental Surf Horror Punk band from São Paulo - Brazil, covered this song and released it on The Hitchcocks EP.
- There are three Dutch versions one by Gerard Schoonebeek "Spookrijder", one by Burdy "Spookrijder in de mist" and one by Sjon & Sjeffrie "Het Cowboylied gaat zo".
- Art GreenhawArt GreenhawArt Greenhaw is a Grammy Award-Winning recording artist, producer and mixing engineer, having won the Grammy Award in 2003 in New York City for "Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album of the Year" for the album WE CALLED HIM MR. GOSPEL MUSIC: THE JAMES BLACKWOOD TRIBUTE ALBUM...
, Grammy Award-Winning guitarist, producer and leader of The Light Crust DoughboysLight Crust DoughboysThe Light Crust Doughboys is a quintessential American Western swing band from Texas organized in 1931 by the Burrus Mill and Elevator Company in Saginaw, Texas. The band achieved its peak popularity in the few years leading up to World War II...
, recorded a world music fusion version of this song on the album "Lone Star Sitar" and released in 2006 on the Greenhaw Records label. - Judy Collins, featuring the Nashville Rhythm Section and Ghost Riders Chorus, covered Ghost Riders In The Sky on her 2010 album Paradise.
- Back to the Future III the video game rendered the song in chiptune for its first level background music.
- Norwegian heavy metal band Chrome DivisionChrome DivisionChrome Division is a heavy metal band from Norway formed in 2004 by Shagrath, the lead vocalist of symphonic black metal band Dimmu Borgir, and Lex Icon, founder of The Kovenant...
recorded their version of the song for their 2011 album 3rd Round Knockout.
Recordings have also been made by Mary McCaslin
Mary McCaslin
Mary McCaslin is an American folk singer who wrote, recorded and performs contemporary folk music. She recorded primarily for Philo Records and traveled and performed with her husband, Jim Ringer....
, The Tubes
The Tubes
The Tubes are a San Francisco-based rock band, whose 1975 debut album included the hit single, "White Punks on Dope". During its first fifteen years or so, the band's live performances combined quasi-pornography with wild satires of media, consumerism, and politics...
(masquerading as "Cowboy Fee & The Heifer's Dream"), Roy Clark
Roy Clark
Roy Linwood Clark is an American country music musician and performer. He is best known for hosting Hee Haw, a nationally televised country variety show, from 1969–1992. Clark has been an important and influential figure in country music, both as a performer and helping to popularize the genre...
, Marty Robbins
Marty Robbins
Martin David Robinson , known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
, Boston Pops
Boston Pops Orchestra
The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....
, Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
, Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope (US band)
Kaleidoscope was an American psychedelic folk and ethnic band who recorded 4 albums and several singles for Epic Records between 1966 and 1970.-Formation:...
, (Guy Vanderhoof), and the British gothic rock band Scary Bitches.
There is a German language version of the song called "Geisterreiter" which, as early as 1949, was recorded by east German entertainer Rita Paul & her Cornel-Trio. In the same year, a version was released by Gerhard Wendland. More than 20 versions of the German version are known. Most notably by Howard Carpendale and Karel Gott. There is a cover by the surf-punk-electro-band Mikrowelle as well as in 2008 by German TV-entertainer Götz Alsmann feat. Bela B (from Die Ärzte
Die Ärzte
Die Ärzte is a punk band from Berlin. Die Ärzte are one of the best-known German punk rock bands and have released over 20 albums. The band consists of guitarist Farin Urlaub, drummer Bela B. and bass player Rodrigo González...
).