Western Movie's Frontier Song Features Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin And Even Makes Sheriff John Wayne Smile

Apr 07, 2020

In one of America’s greatest Westerns of all time, the 1959 hit Rio Bravo starring John Wayne, music legends Ricky Nelson and Dean Martin sing My Rifle, My Pony, and Me with a little help from Walter Brennan in the jailhouse before the film’s final showdown.

Heralded by some critics as a Western masterpiece, director Howard Hawks’s Rio Bravo is brimming with talent. Not only does it feature some great shootouts and all of the biggest stars of 1950s cinema and music, but it also has a great soundtrack. According to SecondHandSongs, members of the Western Writers of America even selected My Rifle, My Pony, and Me as one of the top 100 Western songs of all time. And if you’ve seen the film, it’s easy to see why.

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In the strangely cozy atmosphere of the town’s jailhouse, the music legends take part in an understated, communal tune that transforms into a relaxing cowboy ballad complete with an acoustic guitar, a cigarette and a couple of cowboy hats. The scene is pure cowboy. At the time, fans were sure to have gone crazy over the lonely-sounding but altogether pleasant song given that Martin, a crooner, and Nelson, a teen idol, were fan favorites on and off the screen. According to The Guardian, it’s also one of famed director Quentin Tarantino’s favorite films as well. The director even went as far as to say that if he’d show the movie to any new girlfriend and she didn’t like it, he’d end the relationship. While that may be a little harsh, film aficionados everywhere certainly share at least some of that sentiment — and not the least because of cast and the great music.

On the other hand, the film’s plot is rather simple, deriving inspiration from another Western classic, High Noon, according to The Guardian. With the help of a man in a bar, the town sheriff, played by the seasoned Western actor John Wayne, arrests the brother of a powerful rancher after he shoots someone in the saloon, only to have to eventually defend himself against the rancher’s gang later in the film. But the film doesn’t really receive, or even deserve, praise for its plot. As writer Tony Paley puts it, “Hawks's richly drawn characters are on familiar terms with each other and, just as importantly, the audience feels close to and is rooting for them. These are people moviegoers are going to enjoy spending time with. We feel deeply involved as each of them faces up to their particular challenges.” For that reason, Rio Grande is among Paley's favorite films.

In other words, what makes the otherwise simple 1950s Western so great is the sense of community it cultivates, the connections between these wonderfully developed characters. In many ways, that’s the essence of the moment the three characters sing My Rifle, My Pony, and Me. In what’s almost like a hangout, the characters all come together in the jailhouse to take part in a melancholy tune, cementing their friendships before risking their lives in the final shootout. While it’s worth seeing the entire film for the aforementioned reasons, the song shines even when removed from its context. If you put it on and get lost in the music, it's almost like being transported back to the frontier. 

Have you watched Rio Bravo before? What do you think of Ricky Nelson and Dean Martin's cowboy duet? Let us know and pass this on to all your cowboy-loving friends and family members.