Having grown up with the privilege of visiting Alberta and Montana in the late60s and 70s with my family, this song has always brought vivid memories. Took over 40 years before I was able to get back to that area and it was as awe inspiring as i remembered. Ian Tyson, Charlie Russell are the greatest artists and cheerleaders for such a beautiful area as God ever created.
Charlie Russel's art is priceless. Ian Tyson's music is priceless. This song is a gift. thank you Ian Tyson for this gift it does keep on giving. My sister and I are praying for the Lord to give you very special gifts this coming year. We love your music💕
As a native Montanan who grew up in Charlie Russell country, this song is amazing. One of our family stories is how my great grandfather used to drink beer with Charlie in Great Falls. One night Kid Russell doodled a piece of art on a bar napkin and gave it to him. My great grandfather died in 1972 and that doodle did too. It was never found and was likely thrown away...but boy what a story. Charlie Russell painted Montana and the real West before it was tamed.
you have to work very hard indeed to find a deeper love of the west than Ian has found. And I love the love of it that he channels and gives back to the rest of us that have a need for it.
Back when I first heard this on Cowboyography it made me look up Charlie Russell's art and story (not much "web" back then - my original copy of the album was on vinyl). A wonderful discovery and connection (I had seen some of his art before but really did not know the story). I have followed Ian since "Four Strong Winds" was "born" - just keeps getting better
I have a book with paintings and illustrations from Russell and Remington....unreal, the west 50 years and gone....Charlie I for one am glad you got it all down.
J.R.R. Tolkien who wrote the Lord of the Rings trilogy also wrote short stories. One of my favorites was "Leaf By Nigel". At the end of the story, God gives him the job of painting one perfect leaf.
He left us a few weeks ago. I pray he found the peace that so often eluded him in this life. This song is a true masterpiece of melody, poetry, history and deep respect for a fellow artist and seeker.
1 The Gift Lyrics In old St. Louis over in Missouri The mighty Mississippi, well, it rolls and flows A son was born to Mary Russell And it starts the legend every cowboy knows Young kid Russell was born to wander Ever westward he was bound to roam Just a kid of sixteen in 1880 Up in wild Montana he found his home God made Montana for the wild man For the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow Saved His greatest gift for Charlie Said, "Get her all down before she goes You gotta get her all down 'cause she's bound to go." God hung the stars over Judith Basin God put the magic in young Charlie's hands And all was seen and all remembered Every shining mountain, every longhorn brand He could paint the light on horsehide shining The great passing herds of the buffalo And a cow camp cold on a rainy morning And the twisting wrist of the Houlihan throw God made Montana for the wild man For the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow Saved His greatest gift for Charlie Said, "Get her all down before she goes You gotta get her all down 'cause she's bound to go." When the Lord called Charlie to his home up yonder He said, "Kid Russell, I got a job for you son You're in charge of sunsets up in old Montana and Alberta 'Cause I can't paint them quite as good as you And when you're done, we'll go out and have us a few And Nancy Russell will make sure it's just two." God made Montana for the wild man For the Piegan and the Sioux and Crow He saved His greatest gift for Charlie Said, "Get her all down before she goes You gotta get her all down 'cause she's bound to go.
No other word for Ian but ARTIST. Still working on a literary appreciation article for the serious academics. Better geter done while we see the grass from the sunjny side.
The reality is there were two Ian's. I preferred the first, whose voice was deeper and more resonant on the early Vanguard folk albums. Many others seem to gravitate towards the cowboy Ian, and Great Speckled Bird. Just a matter of taste, I suppose.
