Marty Robbins Sings 'Ghost Riders In The Sky.'

A song written by Stan Jones which a lot of people would regard as the greatest cowboy/western song ever written. It is a stunning song and even when it's done as an instrumental it never seems to lose any of it's appeal. Without wishing to name drop, I actually asked Marty Robbins when he was in the UK in the 70's why he hadn't recorded 'Ghost Riders.' He told me he had recorded it but it hadn't come out as well as he would have liked and so it had stayed in the 'can.' He never saw it released and I believe I'm right in saying that it made it's debut on his great 'Long Long Ago' album which came out shortly after his death. Stan Jones by the way, never wrote another song of any note apart from a song called 'Ride Away' from John Wayne's 'The Searchers.' I don't suppose it mattered as the song must have made him a fortune and create an old age pension a lot of us would have liked!

Category:

Music

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• Country

[hornman71]

Country music died along with the legends that sung it. Its no longer country music anymore. Singers now days have no heart and soul to sing country music.

[chuckbuckbobuck]

One of the greatest voices of all times. With a voice like that he could probably make any woman melt before him.

[DrStrangefate]

@chudwuh

Oh no doubt. Most of all the renditions are amazing in their right, I just have my preference.

Oh I've heard Slim's. Have you heard The Outlaw's rendition. It's awesome.

[chudwuh]

@DrStrangefate

Well, to each, his own. Ives and Monroe are good but Cash's gravely whiskey and cigarettes voice makes the song sound like it should - like an old cowpoke headed for hell (and no, I'm NOT implying that's where Johnny went!) I also like Sourdough Slim's version - search YouTube for it.

[jnashblottin62]

@hornman71 jamey jonhson is old school

[beadacious1221]

I was 5 years old...first time ever at Knott's Berry Farm and this unknown singer was performing this song there.....yup, Marty Robbins....WOW! There will NEVER be another like this amazing artist!!!

[Gumbardi]

I'm a Marty Robbins fan and I like this version. However, the original recording by Burl Ives has the perfect mournful tone and Vaughn Monroe's deep voice gave it a whole new quality when he recorded it. If you search for Monroe's version make sure it is the early one and not the later version with a studio orchestra and choir.

[DrStrangefate]

@chudwuh

I beg to differ.

Vaughn Monroe and Burl Ives have it over Johnny.

[mccallhall]

A great version of a timeless song.

I heard a story about Lerner & Loewe when they were writing the songs for the 1951 musical "Paint Your Wagon". They needed some kind of authentic-sounding cowboy ballad, and Frederick Loewe, who is Austrian by birth, wasn't sure how he could develop the melody. Alan Jay Lerner played him "Ghost Riders in the Sky", and after listening to it a few times, Loewe produced the melody for the show's big hit song, "They Call the Wind Maria".

[ChrisCantHaveItAll]

@1niftyjay yes mate this song and others of its calibre are absolutely stunning!! Only heard this song on new years night two days ago and was blown away!!

[chuckbuckbobuck]

@karatiannadiante--he died way to young. My father was a big Marty Robbins fan and I gues I inherited--El Paso, Water, Big Iron----all fantastic songs. He has such a natural voice which few singers possess today. In a word, he was a great singer!!

[chudwuh]

@Karatiannadiante

Cowgirl, you better change your way today!

Marty's great but Johnny kicks everybody's ass on this song.