"Ragtime Cowboy Joe" is a popular song lyrics by Grant Clarke, music by Lewis F. Muir and Maurice Abrahams. © 1912, F.A. Mills, 122 W. 36th St, New York.
The 1912 copyright version published by F.A. Mills credits Lewis F. Muir and Maurice Abrahams as composers and Grant Clarke as the lyricist. The song was composed in Brooklyn, NY by the song writing team that also wrote Second Hand Rose. The song was written after an appearance by Maurice Abrahams' nephew, Joe Abrahams who appeared at Maurice Abrahams' home wearing a cowboy outfit. Maurice Abrahams was so captivated by the appearance of his nephew dressed up as a cowboy that the elder Abrahams was influenced in writing Ragtime Cowboy Joe in 1912. It was a number-one hit song for singer Bob Roberts in 1912. Trolley Car conductor Harry Cohn had a sideline as a music promoter and took Ragtime Cowboy Joe and promoted it to hit status as he willingly told anyone who would listen for 40 years. Over the years, it has been performed by a diverse group of artists, ranging from Eddy Howard to The Chipmunks. "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" was also the radio show theme song for New York City's long running, award-winning public radio show, Cowboy Joe's Radio Ranch (1976-1988), hosted by Paul Aaron, New York's Cowboy Joe. During one of his radio shows Paul Aaron had the elder Joe Abrahams (the original Cowboy Joe) as a special guest. Paul Aaron played many versions of his favorite song dating back to one sung by Bob Roberts from a 1919 acoustic RCA Victor 78 rpm record. He also played many "live" versions recorded during the University of Wyoming football and basketball games. A recent version of the song appears on Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks 2009 album "Tangled Tales"
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As with many popular songs of the era, the verse is often omitted: the refrain's lyrics vary somewhat depending on the publisher.
(verse)
(refrain)
Variations include: "He always sings/Ragtime music to his cattle", "He's got a syncopated gaiter/And you ought to hear the meter", "Son of a gun from old Wyoming"
"Ragtime Cowboy Joe" is also the school song of the University of Wyoming. Traditionally, Cowboy fans stand and clap to the beat of the song as played by Wyoming's Western Thunder Marching Band. The version of the song appropriated by Wyoming includes lyrics adjusted to represent the school's location, a stands cheer that occurs during a drum break, and a repeat of the verse commonly follows.
Stands cheer: (For the Cowboys)
(For the Cowgirls)
The Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh! at UC Davis also favors the song. In this case;
"Ragtime Cowboy Joe" is the third and final single from The Chipmunks' debut album Let's All Sing with the Chipmunks. The song was released as a single in 1959. After the chart performance of the Chipmunks' last two singles, "The Chipmunk Song" and "Alvin's Harmonica", both of which have managed to reach the Top Ten, it was hoped that "Ragtime Cowboy Joe" would continue their streak of Top Ten hits. Instead the single peaked at #16 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart, which was the group's first single to miss the Top Ten, although it was their third consecutive Top 20 single. The song was also a success on the Billboard Black Singles, peaking at #29. Since the song was also credited to David Seville by Billboard, the song became Seville's fourth consecutive Top 20 single.
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