My love is a rider, wild bronco's he breaks
But he promised to quit it all just for my sake
It’s one foot in the stirrup and the saddle puts on
A swing and a jump and he is mounted and gone

The first time I've seen him was early last spring
He was riding a bronco, a high-headed thing
Oh, he'll took me
But he wants me to look at his bucking bronco

The next time I've seen him 'twas late in the fall
He was swinging the girls down at Tomlinson's hall
He laughed and he talked as we danced to and fro
Promised never to ride on another bronco

He made me some presents among them a ring
The return that I made was a far better thing
'twas a young maiden’s heart, I would have you to know
He won it by riding his bucking bronco

My love has a gun and that gun he can use
But he's quick his gunfighting as well as his boots
He sold off his saddle, his gun, and his rope
There's no more gunfighting, and that's what I hope

Now all young maidens wherever you reside
Beware of the cowboy that swings the rawhide
He’ll court you and pet you and off he will go
Up the trail in the spring on his bucking bronco


Another version:

My true love is a rider wild broncos he breaks,
though he promised to quit for my sake.
It’s one foot in the stirrup and the saddle put on
with a swing and a jump he is mounted and gone.
The first time I met him it was early one spring
a riding a bronco a high headed thing.
The next time I saw him ’twas late in the fall
a swinging the girls at Tomlinson’s ball.
He gave me some presents among them a ring
the return that I gave him was a far better thing;
A young maiden’s heart, I’d have you all know,
that he won it by riding his bucking bronco.
Now all young maidens where you reside
Beware of the cowboy that swings you rawhide
He’ll court you and pet you and off he will go
Up the trail in the spring on his bucking bronco