The Buffalo Skinners

The Buffalo Skinners - Pete Seeger

'Twas in the town o' Jacksboro

In the spring o' seventy-three

A man by the name o' Crego come steppin' up to me

Said how d'you do young fellers

And how'd you like to go

And spend one summer pleasantly

On the range o' the buffalo

It's me bein' out of employment

To ol' Crego I did say

This goin' out on the buffalo range

Depends upon the pay

But if you'll pay good wages

And transportation too

I think sir I will go with you to

The range o' the buffalo

Well it's now we've crossed Pease River boys

Our troubles they have begun

First old stinker that I cut - Christ

How I cut my thumb

While skinnin' the dog-gone ol' buffalo

Our lives they had no show

For the Indians watched to pick us off

While skinnin' the buffalo

The season bein' near over

Ol' Crego he did say

The crowd had been extravagant

Was in debt to him that day

We coaxed him an' we argued

But still it was no go

We left his damned ol' bones to bleached

On the range o' the buffalo

It's now we've crossed Pease River

And homeward we are bound

No more in that old fire country

Will ever we be found

Go back to our wives and sweethearts

Tell others not to go

For God's forsaken the buffalo range

And the damn ol' buffalo