Singers at the Youth Traditional Song conference. Photo by Lorelei Erisis.
Photo by Lorelei Erisis
Country Dance & Song Society > Publications > Listen > Song of the Month

Song of the Month

Join us each month in song!

Since 2016—our designated Year of Song—CDSS has featured a traditional song each month. Lorraine Hammond spearheaded this effort, and it was such a popular feature that Judy Cook volunteered to continue the tradition in 2017 and beyond. 

Note: Many of these old songs should be looked at as “fairy tales for adults” in that they often address very strong, and sometimes scary, subject matter. They allow us to deal with difficult situations and emotions with the distance afforded by putting it in a song. They are cautionary tales, and had their use as such.

This month’s song:

  • A person plays guitar by a campfire. Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash. November 2025: Back to My Wyoming Home
    Submitted by Bob Bovee

    This is not an “authentic” cowboy song, but an old-time one first recorded by The Rambling Duet (Howard Dixon & Frank Gerald) for the Victor company (Bluebird 7232) in 1937. In their duet version, one of them yodels behind the lead vocal on the last line of the “Roll on, little dogies” refrain. My late wife Gail Heil and I used to sing this together, but never recorded it; however, it’s on my solo CD Rails, Trails and Tall Tales.

    Listen to Bob’s recording of “Back to My Wyoming Home:”

    Sheet music for "Back to My Wyoming Home"
    Download the sheet music for “Back to My Wyoming Home.”

    Lyrics

    There’s a place in Wyoming I’m longing to be
    Where the air is so fresh and the wind blows free
    Where the cowboys gather ‘round the campfire so bright
    To yodel and sing in the long, starry night
    Roll on, little dogies, roll on roll on
    Roll on, little dogies, roll on
    Night after night I sit all alone
    Watching the stars and the pale silvery moon
    I fancy near by my pinto I see
    Back in Wyoming I’m longing to be

    Chorus:
    Oh, my Wyoming home
    My dear old Wyoming home
    I’ll jump in my saddle and away I will ride
    Over the hills and across the divide
    Back to my Wyoming home

    My Wyoming home I left long ago
    The best sweetest memories that I cherish so
    A gray-haired mother and a little red shack
    The songs of the prairie is calling me back
    Roll on, little dogies, roll on roll on
    Roll on, little dogies, roll on
    I’m leaving today for a Wyoming town
    To see all my friends and the cowboys around
    No one knows how happy I’ll be
    If I can find mother a-waiting for me

    Chorus

    Bob Bovee is a Nebraska native whose family sang and played the old-time songs. Many of the western and railroad songs he performs were learned from his grandmother and uncle. Since 1971 he has been a full-time touring musician. He plays banjo, guitar, harmonica and autoharp, sings, and yodels.

Past Songs