(warning-YouTube links)When it comes to timeless classics, I think this one defines the term. I don’t think I’ve heard a real bad version, but I know that I’ve had the pleasure of listening to dozens of good takes on this masterpiece. My favorite is actually the first one, released by Burl Ives, while my second favorite is Neil La Vang from(believe it or not) The Lawrence Welk Show.
The definitive version for me is the first I ever heard: Vaughn Monroe - Riders in the Sky - 1965 concert performance and YouTube doesn’t appear to have that original version up.
Vaughn Monroe made the song famous in '49, but Burl Ives released it first a month earlier.
Just to clarify: the “original” I referred to was Monroe’s 1949 version. I heard it on the radio at roughly that time. I have yet to hear the Ives version. I’ll check out your link to remedy that. Right now.
Nothing against Burl, I have loved many of his renditions of other songs and his acting chops, but I much prefer Vaughn’s take on the Riders.
I’m a fan of the version by Marty Robbins.
I enjoy Johnny Cash’s version, as well as the “rock” version by the Outlaws.
Big fan of Johnny Cash’s and Willie Nelson’s live duet.
Not a big fan of Debbie Harry’s version.
It sure as hell beats Sha Na Na’s version.
Vaughn Monroe’s rendition has tempo, vocals, and instrumentation that I find quite pleasing and suitable to the song, which I can’t say about many other versions. But Monroe also does two things that REALLY make it stand out to me. The first is that the first chorus says “ghost herd in the sky.” Since the first verse has only mentioned the cows, and NOT the cowboys yet, this makes the narrative flow effortlessly in terms of being perfectly sensible. Ives is the only other I have noticed doing this. The second is that in the third verse, the pauses between lines are omitted. This has the effect of making it a bit frenetic, increasing the intensity, and thus creating a climax. I haven’t observed anyone else doing this. In my view, these two touches put this rendering head and shoulders above all others. To me, it’s like most of the rest don’t really get it.
“Bluegrass?”
“Riders”
“Duck, gimme a mountain tempo in A-minor”
Alright, I know it’s cheesy, but I always did enjoy Riders, and it was a nice way to do homage to the other film, and they do sing it well.
And they did the original first chorus with “ghost herd”!
I was looking for this! This is the version I usually listen to on Youtube when I want to hear this song. Come on, it’s Goodman and Aykroyd. Not to mention John Popper threw in a cameo with the harmonica.
Damn! He has put on a few pounds since then!
Buckethead, “Ghost Riders in the Dub”
Lots of people just don’t get dub at all–the “values” of the music are pretty different from pop forms–but I think the airiness and surreality fit the theme well.
I like Gene Autry’s version best. This MP3 file is in my Fallout: New Vegas custom station.
I always liked the instrumental version by the Ramrods. Mostly because I enjoyed the mental picture of all the cattle huddled around the microphone.
We had a thread about this 6 years ago, but probably more has become available on YouTube since then (though alas, the one I mentioned there is not).
Ives has two versions.
Riders in the Sky (a group of eggheads, who are also musicians, who took a liking to the name) have released it a couple of times. In addition to being musicians they also do Riders Radio Theater a radio serial.
One thing I always thought was a little odd about this song - the idea that this is supposed to be the ghost rider’s punishment. Spending all eternity riding the range and moving a herd of cattle along sounds like it ought to be cowboy heaven, not cowboy hell.
Maybe, especially if said ghost riders were just moseying along with a slow-moving herd. The scenario here is that the herd is doing the next best thing to stampeding, on the run as fast as they can go. The riders are described as having their shirts “all soaked with sweat.” They are riding as fast and as hard as they can to catch the herd, because everyone knows you have to stop a stampede, or else there might be a few less hamburgers in the world.
The hell of it would seem to be that the cowboys are engaged in an activity that non-cowboys might look at as what cowboys love to do, but consider these ghost riders are doing it as hard as they can, forever, and they’ll never be able to catch the herd, nor can they ever stop or even slow down to rest.
Think of your favorite thing to do. Yes, even that. Now imagine doing it as hard and as fast as you’ve ever been able to do it, maybe even harder and faster than that. Now imagine never, ever, EVER being able to stop or slow down. Sooner or later, even if it’s years or decades or centuries later, your pleasure will turn to torment.
Of course, not trying to harsh on your opinion, Miller, but that’s my take on it.