"Home on the Range" is a classic cowboy song, sometimes called the "unofficial anthem" of the

American West The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the Wes ...

. Dr.

Brewster M. Higley Brewster Martin Higley VI, MD (November 30, 1823 – December 9, 1911) was an otolaryngologist who became famous for writing "My Western Home". Originally written in 1871 or 1872 and published under the title "My Western Home" in the ''Smith Coun ...

(also spelled Highley) of Smith County, Kansas, wrote the lyrics as the poem "My Western Home" in 1872 or 1873,Moanfeldt, Samuel (May 1935). "Report of Samuel Moanfeldt of His Investigation o the Music Publishers Protection Association" Reprinted in Mechem, Kirke, "The Story of Home on the Range" (pp. 313-339), ''Kansas Historical Quarterly'', 17(4), pp. 332-339, November 1949. https://www.kshs.org/publicat/khq/1949/1949november_mechem.pdf#page=24 with at least one source indicating it was written as early as 1871. On June 30, 1947, "Home on the Range" became the

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

state song Forty-eight of the fifty U.S. states have one or more state songs, a type of regional anthem, which are selected by each state legislature as a symbol (or emblem) of that particular U.S. state. Some U.S. states have more than one official state ...

. In 2010, members of the

Western Writers of America Western Writers of America (WWA), founded 1953, promotes literature, both fictional and nonfictional, pertaining to the American West. Although its founders wrote traditional Western fiction, the more than 600 current members also include historian ...

chose it as one of the Top 100 western songs of all time.

History

In 1871, Higley moved from

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th ...

and acquired land in Smith County, Kansas under the

Homestead Act The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead. In all, more than of public land, or nearly 10 percent of t ...

, living in a small cabin near West Beaver Creek. Higley was inspired by his surroundings and wrote "My Western Home", which was published in the ''Smith County Pioneer'' (KS) newspaper in 1873 or 1874 Dr. Spaeth accepted this later and republished March 21, 1874 in ''The'' ''Kirwin Chief''. Higley's cabin home is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Home on the Range Cabin. Daniel E. Kelley (1808–1905), a friend of Higley and member of the Harlan Brothers Orchestra, developed a melody for the song on his guitar. Higley's original lyrics are similar to those of the modern version of the song, but not identical. For instance, the original poem did not contain the words "on the range". Ranchers, cowboys, and other western settlers adopted the song as a rural anthem and it spread throughout the United States in various forms. In 1925, Texas composer David W. Guion (1892–1981) arranged it as sheet music that was published by

G. Schirmer G. Schirmer, Inc. is an American classical music publishing company based in New York City, founded in 1861. The oldest active music publisher in the United States, Schirmer publishes sheet music for sale and rental, and represents some well-know ...

. The song has since gone by a number of names, the most common being "Home on the Range" and "Western Home". It was officially adopted as the state song of

on June 30, 1947 and is commonly regarded as the unofficial anthem of the American West. On September 27, 1933,

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

recorded "Home on the Range" with

Lennie Hayton Leonard George Hayton (February 14, 1908 – April 24, 1971) was an American musician, composer, conductor and arranger. Hayton's trademark was a captain's hat, which he always wore at a rakish angle. Early life Hayton was born in New Yo ...

and his orchestra for Brunswick Records. At the time, the origins of "Home on the Range" were obscure and widely debated, although it had been published in 1910 in folklorist John Lomax's ''Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads.'' Lomax reported that he had learned the song from a black saloon keeper in Texas who recalled learning it on the Chisolm Trail. Its popularity led to William and Mary Goodwin filing a suit for copyright infringement in 1934 for $500,000. In 1905 the couple had published "An Arizona Home", similar to "Home on the Range". The lawsuit initiated a search for the song's background. As it turned out, controversy and even outright plagiarism have followed the song's lyrics since their publication. On Feb. 26, 1876, the ''Kirwin Chief'' published an article on the front page titled, "PLAGIARISM," accusing ''The Stockton'' ''News'' of publishing a nearly identical poem credited to a Mrs. Emma Race of Raceburgh, KS. The ''Kirwin Chief'', which had published the poem Mar. 26, 1874, reprinted the poem below the article. When Samuel Moanfeldt investigated the history of "Home on the Range" on behalf of the Music Publishers Protection Association in response to the Goodwins' 1934 lawsuit, he found another, similar song, "Colorado Home". However, within a few months, Moanfeldt determined Higley had written the poem behind "Home on the Range", and set to music by Kelley. It seemed likely that cowboys on the Chisolm Trail played a role in making the song known throughout several states.

Modern usage

Bing Crosby recorded the song again in 1938 and 1939.

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

also recorded the song on March 10, 1946 and his version was released in Great Britain but was not available in the United States until 1993. Others who have recorded the song include John Charles Thomas,

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...

Boxcar Willie Lecil Travis Martin (September 1, 1931 – April 12, 1999), whose stage name was Boxcar Willie, was an American country music singer-songwriter, who sang in the "old-time hobo" music style, complete with dirty face, overalls, and a floppy hat. ...

Burl Ives Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995) was an American musician, actor, and author with a career that spanned more than six decades. Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own rad ...

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notabl ...

Johnnie Ray John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Highly popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor to what became rock and roll, for his jazz and bl ...

, Slim Whitman, Steve Lawrence and

Tori Amos Tori Amos (born Myra Ellen Amos; August 22, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. She is a classically trained musician with a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Having already begun composing instrumental pieces on piano, Amos won a full ...

. "Home on the Range" is often performed in programs and concerts of American patriotic music and is frequently used in plays and films. The song is also the theme opening music for the early Western films starring Ray "Crash" Corrigan and his two co-stars in their movie roles as "The Three Mesqueteers". It is also featured in the 1937 screwball comedy '' The Awful Truth'' (sung by Irene Dunne and Ralph Bellamy), the 1948 film '' Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House'' (sung by both

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one of ...

and Myrna Loy), the 1967 off-Broadway musical '' You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown'' (sung by the cast as a glee club rehearsal number), the 1980 film '' Where the Buffalo Roam'' (sung by

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Fu ...

over the opening credits), the 2009 film '' The Messenger'' (sung by

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and ''Stardust'' (1978 ...

over the closing credits), and the 1946 western film ''Colorado Serenade'' (sung by actor Roscoe Ates). Actor Harry Dean Stanton (as the angel "Gideon") sings an excerpt from his mid-tree perch in the 1985 film '' One Magic Christmas''. A parody version is sung by villain Percival McLeach in the 1990 animated film ''

The Rescuers Down Under ''The Rescuers Down Under'' is a 1990 American animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 29th Disney animated feature film and the second movie to be produced during the Disne ...

''. The song has made its way into screen shorts for children and adults, as in the 1954

Looney Tunes ''Looney Tunes'' is an American animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series '' Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation. ...

cartoon ''

Claws for Alarm ''Claws for Alarm'' is a 1954 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. The short was released on May 22, 1954 and stars Porky Pig and Sylvester. It is the second of three cartoons teaming Porky and Sylvester, continuing ...

'', where it is sung by

Porky Pig Porky Pig is an animated character in the Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons. He was the first character created by the studio to draw audiences based on his star power, and the animators created many criti ...

. Likewise,

Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merr ...

sings the song in both ''

The Fair-Haired Hare ''The Fair-Haired Hare'' is a 1951 Warner Bros. ''Looney Tunes'' cartoon starring Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam. Released April 14, 1951, the cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng. The voices were performed by Mel Blanc. ''The Fair-Haired Hare'' was ...

'' (1951) and ''

Oily Hare ''Oily Hare'' is a 1952 Warner Bros. ''Merrie Melodies'' animated short directed by Robert McKimson and written by Tedd Pierce. The short was released on July 26, 1952, and stars Bugs Bunny. The plot has similarities to the plot of the short '' T ...

'' (1952), the latter containing original lyrics specific to Texas oilmen. The song is used in ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'' episode "

Lisa's Substitute "Lisa's Substitute" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 25, 1991. In the episode, Lisa's teacher Miss H ...

" (1991) in which Lisa is inspired by a substitute teacher who dresses as a cowboy and sings the song with commentary. It was also used on the Shining Time Station episode, A dogs day It made an appearance on ''GLOW'' when Debbie Eagan (played by

Betty Gilpin Elizabeth Folan Gilpin (born July 21, 1986) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Debbie "Liberty Belle" Eagan in the Netflix comedy series '' GLOW'' (2017–2019), for which she was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards ...

) sang a portion in the fourth episode of the second season.

Vikingarna Vikingarna (Swedish for ''the Vikings'') may refer to: * Vikingarna (band) Vikingarna is a Swedish dansband formed in Karlstad in 1958. It is the best-selling dansband, and one of the best-selling artists, in Scandinavia and is often regarded ...

recorded an instrumental version of the song on the 1981 album '' Kramgoa låtar 9'' , entitled "Home on the Ranch". In 2017, a

docudrama Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television and film, which features dramatized re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of documentary and drama and "a fact-based representation of real event". Docudramas typic ...

was released that told the story of the song's origins and the lawsuit from the 1930s that finally concluded the authorship of the song. The film was produced by the People's Heartland Foundation and Lone Chimney Films and featured actors Buck Taylor,

Rance Howard Rance Howard (born Harold Engle Beckenholdt; November 17, 1928 – November 25, 2017) was an American actor who starred in film and on television. He was the father of actor and filmmaker Ron Howard and actor Clint Howard, and grandfather of actr ...

, Darby Hinton, and the voice of the

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The t ...

, Mitch Holthus. The film also included music contributed by

Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music perf ...

, Michael Martin Murphey, and others. The film was directed by Ken Spurgeon and aired on regional PBS stations.

Major versions compared

See Mecham (1949) for a discussion of differences in lyrics amongst sources as well as definitions of terms.

Explanatory notes

References

External links

* * * (for additional history)
Brewster Higley Ohio Historical Marker

Home on the Range Cabin
cabin near

Athol, Kansas Athol is a city in Smith County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 41. History Athol was founded in 1888. The first post office in Athol was established in February 1888. Athol was a station and sh ...

where the song ''Home on the Range'' was written.
The sheet music

free-scores.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Home on the Range 1872 poems 1927 poems 1930 poems 1940 poems American folk songs American patriotic songs Burl Ives songs History of the American West Music of Kansas Symbols of Kansas United States state songs Western music (North America)