Song picture
Cody & Lil' Missie
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Song about Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley
railroad songs cowboy songs rick pickren buffalo bill cody ian tyson songs from the lonesome p traditional american folk
Artist picture
Americana, Vintage Country and Western music
Singer-songwriter Rick Pickren has shared the stage with George Strait, Merle Haggard, Alabama, The Judds, Dolly Parton, Joe Ely, Steve Earle (when he was country), Rodney Crowell, B.J. Thomas and cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell. His past awards and successes include: 1988 winner of Marlboro Country Talent Roundup with his band Paleface Brigade. In 1989 he again won the Marlboro Country Talent Roundup with his new band Thunder Riders (a name taken from the Gene Autry serials) and went on to the Nashville Finals losing to Ronnie Dunn, soon to be half of Brooks & Dunn. In the early 90s Rick was a staff writer for Jordan Entertainment in Nashville. A descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody, he travels the plains performing his cowboy song and history program “Songs From The Lonesome Prairie” and "Songs From The Steel Rails". Rick has a Bachelor of Music in Musicology and Masters of Acting/Directing from the University of Michigan. His knowledge of cowboy and rail history, lore and song is reflected in three critically acclaimed albums: Songs From The Lonesome Prairie, The Call: More Songs From The Lonesome Prairie and Rails, Rogues & Wrecks. As an actor, he portrayed the role of Jim in the original Chicago production of Pump Boys & Dinettes. He also directed and starred in Foxfire. He is featured in the films, Major League, While You Were Sleeping, Soul Survivors and U.S. Marshals. He has also guest starred on many TV shows including The Untouchables, ER, Early Edition, Missing Persons and Turks.
Song Info
Genre
Country • Country and Western
Charts
Peak #886
Peak in subgenre #80
Author
Rick Pickren
Rights
2007
Uploaded
January 29, 2007
Track Files
MP3
MP3 3.7 MB • 128 kbps • 4:05
Story behind the song
Cody & Lil’ Missie tells the true story of the wreck of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show train on October 29, 1901. The train wreck occurred near the same stretch of road just north of Danville, Virginia where the Old 97 met her fate in 1903. A direct descendant of Buffalo Bill Cody, Rick was intrigued by the story behind this little known train wreck. The injuries Annie Oakley suffered brought an end to her long association with the Colonel and the Wild West Show. Although Bill re-grouped and toured on, the beginning of the end was drawing near for Buffalo Bill and the Wild West Show.
Lyrics
Cody & Lil Missie 1. It was early in the mornin’ October 29 As the Wild West show rolled down the line Headin on down to old Danville W/ Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Another long season was coming to a close They’d played nearly a thousand shows One more show around the bend Then thankfully it comes to an end They were all tired and sleepin’ At three in the morning When the southbound 75 crashed Into them without warning 2. There was a mighty crash inside the train Then smoke and steam and cries of pain Those unhurt did what they could They dug through the rubble and piles of wood Beneath it all Lil Annie did lay The Colonel searched and he called her name He found Missie in the early light Her leg was broke (and) her hair was white Annie was buried alive She thought she’d die that day It was such a horror Her hair turned brown to gray 3. On that day nobody died But they say the Colonel sobbed and cried When he had to put down with a gun His horse Old Pap the buckskin dun Then Bill set after that freight train crew They knew if he caught them what he would do So they high tailed it on up the hill And didn’t stop runnin til they reached Danville. 110 of his horses Died there that morning When the southbound 75 crashed Into them without warning 4. They say the switchman was to blame For the wreck of Annie and Cody’s train He didn’t read his telegraph And put two trains on a one-way path Annie went home to convalesce She then retired from the old Wild West Back to Nebraska Bill did go To rest and build him a brand new show Without Lil Missie The show was not the same But until the end Bill was on the road A prisoner to his fame Words & Music C/06 Rick Pickren PickrenSongs, Ascap
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