A year ago, I had a surreal thrift store moment involving the Songs of the West album by the Norman Luboff Choir. I’d been on a kick listening to their music, mostly through LPs or YouTube since many albums aren’t on Spotify. While flipping through a small stack of records at a local thrift store, I found Songs of the West (which I already owned) and put it back in the bin. Nearby was a pile of old Arizona Highways magazines. Opening the top one, I was stunned to find a centerfold featuring the exact photo from the album cover! The photo, Apache Cattle by Allen C. Reed, was published in 1954—a year before the album. I took it as a sign and bought the entire stack of magazines.
This cowboy folk song traces its roots to the 1830s with “The Sailor’s Grave.” Carson Robison later adapted it into “Carry Me Back to the Lone Prairie,” tweaking the melody and adding verses. Robison loved the prairie’s rugged beauty, even if his own final resting place was far from it, at his CR Ranch in New York. Even though the title on Luboff’s album is “Bury me not” I hear them singing “Bury me out.” I’m sure there’s a story there, but I don’t know it yet. 🙂
The Norman Luboff Choir was legendary, recording over 75 albums from the 1950s-70s. They gained fame singing with Bing Crosby and contributed to Harry Belafonte’s Calypso, the first album to sell 1 million copies.
Enjoy this timeless cowboy tune!
Oh and sorry there isn’t any Spotify version of this!
A YouTube vinyl rip is the best I have!
Song: “Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie”
Artist: Norman Luboff Choir
Album: Songs Of The West
Year: 1955
“Oh, bury me out on the lone prairie
Where the coyotes howl and the wind blows free
And when I die, you can bury me
‘neath the Western sky on the lone prairie”
I’m a roving cowboy far away from home
Far from the prairie where I used to roam
Where the doggies wander and the wind blows free
Thought my heart is yonder on the lone prairie
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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. Sorry if there are any mistakes.
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