Hills of Mexico

A cowboy variant on "The Buffalo Song", which was written by one John B. Freeman during a season of buffalo hunting in 1877. That song was in turn patterned on an 1850s Canadian lumberjack song called "Canaday-I-O", which itself was based on an earlier English sea ballad.^[1] A fragment of a similar "cowboy" version was first published in 1923 under the title "Boggus Creek"; a full version followed in 1927, collected from a cowboy named James "Honey Jim" Mullens, who recalled learning it on a cattle drive during the 1880s. For an extensively researched dive into the evolution of this family of songs, click here.

The band released a video of their version of the song on YouTube on 1 February 2023, and it was later included on Caught in the Net Vol 1, released 18 October 2024.

Factoids

Andy has mentioned that his arrangement of the song is based on this arrangement by Meredith Moon.

Lyrics

Too many variations of this song exist to identify any definitive version; these lyrics are based on the song as performed in the band's livestreams.

When I's in old Fort Worth in eighteen and eighty three
Some old Mexican cowboy come stepping up to me
Saying "How are you young fella, how would you like to go
And to spend another season 'neath them hills of Mexico?"

Well, I had no employment, and back to him did say
"It's according to your wages, according to your pay"
He said "I'll pay to you good wages, and often too, you know
If you'll spend another season 'neath them hills of Mexico"

Well I went up to that cowboy and I offered him my hand
And he gave a string of horses so old they couldn't stand
And I nearly starved to death boys, and I mean to let you know
That I never saved a dollar 'neath them hills of Mexico

I sent up for my wages, on a steamboat I did go
How them bells they did ring and them whistles they did blow
How them bells they did ring and them whistles they did blow
On that godforsaken fortune 'neath them hills of Mexico

Recordings

Stream/Purchase

YouTube Videos

Full Band Streams

Chill Streams

Gaming Streams

↑ https://umaine.edu/folklife/what-we-do/programs-and-events/maine-song-and-story-sampler-map/places/franklin-canaday-i-o/

[1] ttps://umaine.edu/folklife/what-we-do/programs-and-events/maine-song-and-story-sampler-map/places/franklin-canaday-i-o/

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