Ghost Riders in the Sky
This piece came about as I was reminiscing about my childhood. My grandparents are avid listeners of what I liked to call “cowboy music.” They would drive up to Colorado to go to cowboy chuckwagon dinners and had stacks of cds from their favorite western artists.
One of my favorite cowboy songs, and one that has stuck with me into adulthood, is “Ghost Riders in the Sky”. The lyrics detail a haunting and cautionary tale about ghostly cowboys who had been cursed to herd the devil’s cows for eternity. The imagery in the story captivated me, so I visualized these famous ghost riders as best I can in this piece.
Ghost Riders in the Sky (2024)
Painting Timelapse
Total time: 17h 14m
Greyscale Value Study
Color Study
Lyrics
An old cowboy went riding out
One dark and windy day
Upon a ridge he rested
As he went along his way
When all at once a mighty herd
Of red eyed cows he saw
Plowin' through the ragged skies
And up the cloudy draw
Their brands were still on fire
And their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny
And their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear went through him
As they thundered through the sky
For he saw the riders coming hard
And he heard their mournful cry
Yippie-yi-o
Yippie-yi-yay
Ghost riders in the sky
Their faces gaunt
Their eyes were blurred
Their shirts all soaked with sweat
He's riding hard to catch that herd
But he ain't caught 'em yet
'Cause they've got to ride forever
On that range up in the sky
On horses snorting fire
As they ride on, hear their cry
As the riders loped on by him
He heard one call his name
'If you wanna save your soul
From hell a-riding on our range
Then, cowboy, change your ways today
Or with us you will ride
Trying to catch the devil's herd
Across these endless skies
Yippie-yi-o
Yippie-yi-yay
Ghost riders in the sky
Ghost riders in the sky
Ghost riders in the sky