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I recently came across this brilliant song about cowboy action shooting. I didn't find much information about it online, but it's apparently called the "Ballad of the Single Action Shooters" from the album Six Gun Legends of the Silver Screen by Jim Bowman and can be listened to here:
I enjoyed it so much that I decided to transcribe its lyrics (with the help of Madame Moog), its guitar chords, and the tablature for the catchy little riff in the song in case anybody else wants to sing/play along. If you hear any different/better lyrics or chords when you listen to the song, please feel free to let me know and I'll update this accordingly!
Just as a heads up, the formatting below will not display properly in the iOS/Android app. It seems to display properly using ASN's web interface only... either on a desktop/laptop, or on a mobile device rotated in the landscape position to allow enough horizontal real estate.
I have also uploaded this tab to Ultimate-Guitar.com and will likely maintain that version more often, but I will try to keep this copy updated with any major changes too.
Finally, here is a quick recording of my acoustic rendition to give you an idea of what I heard in my "mind's ear" as I was transcribing the song.
Title: Ballad of the Single Action Shooters
Artist: Jim Bowman
Album: Six Gun Legends of the Silver Screen
Tuning: Standard, Capo 2
[Intro]
Am C G Am
e|-----------------------------------------------0~~~~~~~|
B|------------------------------------------------1~~~~~~|
G|-------------------------------------------------2~~~~~|
D|-----------------------0h2--0---------------------2~~~~|
A|--------0--0--2--3~~~~~--------2-----0h2--0~~~~----0~~~|
E|--0--0----------------------------3-----------------0~~|
[Chorus]
Am C
The history of the West is perhaps remembered best
G Am
when the cowboys of SASS strap on their guns.
Am C
A posse from today riding into yesterday,
G Am
replaying how the West was really won.
F
The Single Action Shooters: They’re a society
C Am
of western buffs, historians, and big kids just like me.
F
We never really grew up, we probably never will,
C Am
we’ll just die with our boots on and end up upon the hill.
[Riff]
Am C G Am
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------0h2--0----------------|
A|--------0--0--2--3~~~~~--------2-----0h2--0~~|
E|--0--0----------------------------3----------|
[Verse 1]
F
Stage number one: It’s not for the faint of heart!
C Am
You’ll need three guns and thirty rounds before the shooting starts.
F
Then just like Wyatt Earp, or our heroes Roy and Gene,
C Am
you’ll save the day the Cowboy Way, guns blazing fantasies.
[Bridge]
Am C
The history of the West is perhaps remembered best
G Am
when the cowboys of SASS strap on their guns.
[Riff]
Am C G Am
e|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------0h2--0----------------|
A|--------0--0--2--3~~~~~--------2-----0h2--0~~|
E|--0--0----------------------------3----------|
[Verse 2]
F
Stage number ten: It’s the last one of the day!
C Am
So far your aim’s been steady; your legend has grown along the way.
F
With your Colts and your rifle and your beat-up, old shotgun
C Am
you blazed yourself some happy trails as you ride into the sun.
[Chorus]
Am C
The history of the West is perhaps remembered best
G Am
when the cowboys of SASS strap on their guns.
Am C
That posse from today riding into yesterday,
G Am
replaying how the West was really won.
F
The Single Action Shooters: They’re a society
C Am
of western buffs, historians, and big kids just like me.
F
We never really grew up, we probably never will,
C Am
we’ll just die with our boots on and end up upon the hill.
[Bridge]
Am C
The history of the West is perhaps remembered best
G Am
when the cowboys of SASS strap on their guns.
[Outro]
Am C G Am
e|-----------------------------------------------0~~~~~~~~0~~~~~~~|
B|------------------------------------------------1~~~~~~~~1~~~~~~|
G|-------------------------------------------------2~~~~~~~~2~~~~~|
D|-----------------------0h2--0---------------------2~~~~~~~~2~~~~|
A|--------0--0--2--3~~~~~--------2-----0h2--0~~~~----0~~~~~~~~0~~~|
E|--0--0----------------------------3-----------------0~~~~~~~~0~~|
************************************
| h Hammer-on
| ~ Vibrato
************************************
Posted in: Cowboy Action Shooting
Great song. I sent it to my friend who is a Yankee Cowboy Shooter up north.
Has anybody else noticed that the tune and rhythm are very similar to a Merle Haggard song called “The Silver Ghost?”