Jolly Jim

Music and Lyrics by Robert Owens, May 2010

THE YEAR WAS 1894 WITH BIG JOLLY JIM AT THE REINS, THE LAST STAGE TO THE HOTEL RAMONA WAS BEING REPLACED BY THE TRAIN, WAS BEING REPLACED BY THE TRAIN.

THE TRAIN HAD REACHED OLD TEMPLETON TOWN, JUST SEVEN YEARS PRIOR WAS DONE, SO TO GET TO THE HOTEL RAMONA, THE STAGECOACH WOULD COVER THE RUN, THE STAGECOACH WOULD COVER THE RUN.

FROM TEMPLETON TOWN THROUGH TO OLD TORO CREEK, ACROSS CUESTA RIDGE AND DOWN, THE OLD HORSESHOE CURVE, THE TUNNELS AND BRIDGE, TO SAN LUIS OBISPO TOWN, TO SAN LUIS OBISPO TOWN.

BUT AH LOUIS’ CHINAMAN BUILDERS FINISHED TUNNELS AND TRACKS FOR THE TRAIN, SO THE STAGE-COACH WAS NEEDED NO MORE, BIG JOLLY JIM’S WORK WAS IN VAIN, HIS HEART WOULD NOW SUFFER THE PAIN.

BIG JOLLY-JIM FOUND A NICE QUIET SPOT, AT THE BOTTOM OF TORO CREEK ROAD, THE STAGE-COACH STILL STANDS WHERE HE LEFT IT THAT DAY, IT’S PARKED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, IT NO LONGER CARRIES A LOAD.

NOW MANY LONG YEARS HAVE ALL PASSED AWAY, BIG JOLLY JIM’S SOUL HAS MOVED ON, BUT THERE’S AN OAK-TREE WHERE HE LIES IN THE GROUND, I KNOW THAT HIS SPIRIT LIVES ON, BIG JOLLY JIM’S SPIRIT LIVES ON.

HIS FACE CAN BE SEEN ON THE TREE WHERE HE LAYS, HE’S GUARDING THE PLACE ALL AROUND, YOU SEE HIS SMILING FACE ALL THE DAYS, THOUGH HIS BODY IS STILL IN THE GROUND, THOUGH HIS BODY IS STILL IN THE GROUND.

THE YEAR WAS 1894, WITH BIG JOLLY JIM AT THE REINS, THE LAST STAGE TO THE HOTEL RAMONA, WAS BEING REPLACED BY THE TRAIN, WAS BEING REPLACED BY THE TRAIN. CINCO DE MAYO, 1894, THE STAGECOACH WOULD TRAVEL NO MORE.

*Bob Owens’ poem is a lyrical fantasy-vision. No human remains are interred here or on any Last Stage West property. Thanks, Bob!