Cat. #0762 (MFH #664) - As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Mountain View, Arkansas on May 26, 1969
VERSE 1
You ask my little friend
Why I'm always sad an' still
Why my brow is always darkened
Like a cloud upon th hill
Rein in you pony closer
I will tell you a tale
Of Utah Carl, my pardner
Who died upon th trail
VERSE 2
Among th rocks an' th thistles
A Mexico fine land
Where th cattle roamed by thousand
Upon a herdless land
There's a grave without a headstone
Without a date 'er name
Like silence sleeps my pardner
In th land from which I came
VERSE 3
Together we have rode
We ridden side by side
I love them as a brother
I wept when Utah died
Together we have rode
Throwed th rope that burnt th brand
In dark an' stormy weather
We gain th night-h'rd stand
VERSE 4
We were rounding up one moning
When th work was almost done
When that th catlle started
On a wild an' madden run
Th bosses little daughter
Was riding by his side
Rushed in t' turn th cattle
An' there's where m' pardner died
VERSE 5
Beneath th saddle on th pony
Where th bosses daughter set
Utah, that very morning
Had placed a red blanket
Where th saddle might be easy
To Lenor, his little friend
Th blanket which he placed there
Brought m' pardner's life to an end
VERSE 6
When Lenor reined in th pony
To th cattle on th right
Her blanket slipped fom beneath her
She held a stirrup tight
There's nothing in th ranches
Would make th cattle fight
Tho' quicker than some red object
Waved up in their sight
VERSE 7
O, when we saw th blanket
Ever-one there helt their breath
O, should her pony fail her
An' save Lenor's death
When th cattle saw th blanket
A dragging on th ground
They were madden in a momoent
An' charged it with a bound
VERSE 8
When Lenor, she saw th danger,
She turned 'er pony's face
An' leaned from out of her saddle
Th blanket to replace
Lenor, she lost her balance
She fell before th tide
Lie still Lenor, I'm coming,
Was th words my pardner cried
VERSE 9
'bout fifteen yards behind her
Utah Carl came riding fast
Little did he dream that moment
That ride would be his last
And leaned from out'a of his saddle
He caught th trail'n robe
To save th bosses daughter
Speed was his only hope
VERSE 10
Such a ride upon th cinches
I never saw before
When th front-garret broke from under him
He fell beside Lenor
When th Lenor fell from th pony
She drug th blanket down
Lie down, close beside her
Where she lay upon th ground
VERSE 11
Utah, picked up th blanket,
Lie still, again he said,
An' run'n thru th prairie
He waved it o'er his head
An' when we saw him running
Us boys gived a cry
He saved th bosses daughter
But we knew he had t' die
VERSE 12
He had turned th madden cattle
From Lenor, his little friend
When th cattle rushed down upon him
He turned to meet his end
An' quickli from his scabbard
Utah, both pistols drew
He was bound to fight while dying
Like cowboys bravely do
VERSE 13
His pistols flashed like lightning
Their report came loud and clear
When th cattle rushed down upon him
He dropped th lead'n steer
When th cattle rushed down upon him
My pardner had to fall
No more t' ride th ranches
An' to give th cattle call
VERSE 14
He died upon th ranches
Which seems most awful hard
But we could not make th distance
In time to save our pard
We rushed right in th circle
Where my pardner had to lay
Down in th dust an' wounded
His young life passed away
VERSE 15
As I knelt down beside him
I heard him faintly say,
Lie still Lenor, I'm coming,
Was his last words to say
Now his young life is ended
He's give up in this day
He's closed his eyes in silence
An' his face turned deathly pale
VERSE 16
I went to church on Sunday
I heard th preacher say,
I don't think our friend Utah
Was lost on that great day
He's a lov'n, brave cowboy
He didn't care to die
I think our friend Utah
Has a home beyond th sky