N. Howard Thorp: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Arroyo Al's Cow-pony

N. Howard Thorp

“Arroyo Al's Cow-pony” as printed in Songs of the Cowboys (1921).

N. Howard Thorp: Collected Lyrics Text 3 1921 · historical text
Public domainCowboy songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Songs of the Cowboys, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

I took a trip this summer to the market,

And I struck an Eastern city where they sell you tubs of beers;

I was feelin' pretty yowlish and I could n't say my name,

When I wound up somehow 'nuther at a high-toned polo game.

Verse 2

There were sunburned doods cavortin' on some ponies in a lot,

And they whacked a little ball till it traveled like a shot;

I could n't savvy, nohow, and I vowed that I was through,

When I spied a feller ridin' on a pony that I knew.

Verse 3

It was that there buckskin bronco that I rode for the Circle Bar;

He was clipped and oiled and powdered, but I knew each old-time scar;

I had lost him when Bear Hawkins played an extra ace and jack,

And I'd allus had a longin' fer to git that pony back.

Verse 4

Well, he sorter stopped and snorted when I give an old-time "Yip!"

And he bucked until his rider hit the ground upon his hip;

And he came a-runnin' to me and I jumped upon his back,

And he pitched for sheer enjoyment when I hit his flank a whack.

Verse 5

Well, I rode across the open and I stooped down on the run,

And picked up the polo mallet (fer the player he was done),

And I hit that ball a crack, sir, and it sailed plum o'er the fence,

And the crowd just howled with pleasure, fer they thought the sport immense.

Verse 6

Well, it cost me just six hundred fer to git my little bronk,

And to have that player patched up from his heels to injured conk;

But I got my old cow-pony — and jest hear this one thing more:

Don't whisper "polo" to him or he'll buck like Satan, shore!

Credits

Written by N. Howard Thorp

Words by N. Howard Thorp. Historical text published in Songs of the Cowboys (1921); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Songs of the Cowboys (1921), “Arroyo Al's Cow-pony”

The 1921 published edition (collected by N. Howard Thorp) is in the public domain in the United States (pre-1931 publication). Entries whose credited author died more than 70 years ago are also in the public domain in life-plus-70 jurisdictions; traditional entries are public domain.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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