Dolan
Ellis has written more than 300 songs, and most are about
Arizona and/or the American Southwest. Some are about people,
some are about places, some are about events or occupations.
All convey the special understanding Dolan has for his adopted
state.
Some
of Dolan's more popular songs are alphabetized on this
page with a brief description. Many have links to an additional
page with further information which may include audio clips
or photographs.
Dolan
Ellis also carefully selects songs he didn't write and
arranges them to make them his own. There is a separate
listing of those songs as well, which you can access when
you click here.
We've
also included a page of Dolan's theme shows,
with a partial list of songs that might be included in
each.
The
list:
ABC DEF GHI JKL MNO PQR STU VWXYZ
A,
B, C:
Ain't
No Catfish in Ajo: This is a song that was
recorded on Dolan's "Touch
the Earth" LP, still available
on CD form. He gets occasional requests for it.
Alice
Greenough: Biographical song about the World-Champion
Cowgirl of 1934 who was a rodeo rider for more than
30 years. Available on the "Cowgirls"
CD.
Amerizona: A whimsical, patriotic
song about Arizona, "just a little itty bitty U.S.A." It's
recorded on the "...after the show (TM)" DVD.
Arizona
Christmas: The subtitle is "Cactus and Christmas
Trees," and this song is all about the things that
make Christmas in Arizona special and unusual. Dolan
recorded it for the 2004
Christmas card.
Arizona
Groovin': A song for the autumn, when the cowboys
are coming from the cold country to Arizona, for roundups
and rodeos. This song is included on the
"Tuba City" CD.
Arizona
I-10 Highway: Dolan still gets quite a few
requests for this old song about the interstate stretch
between Phoenix and Tucson. This song is on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
Arizona,
Through and Through: Dolan's finest Arizona
theme song, expressing his feelings about the state
and speaking for many others as well. It's recorded
on the "...after the show (TM)" DVD.
Beautiful
Sunsets, Beautiful Skies: Another favorite
closing song, especially with Dolan's special photography
of Arizona sunsets.
Bitch,
Bitch, Bitch: Dolan has a lot of fun with this
song, included in the Cowgirls play and really written
about a rancher who was Dolan's neighbor on the Mogollon
Rim. Some people are just never satisfied. It's
recorded on the "...after the show (TM)" DVD and also
on the "Cowgirls" CD.
The
Bombing of Naco, Arizona: The
story of Patrick Murphy, an Irishman who was a barnstormer
in the 1920s, got drunk in Bisbee, and decided to join
the Mexican Reviolutionaries in Naco, Arizona, in their
fight against the Federales. This song is recorded
on the "Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
Buddy
It's a Shame: The "shame" is for people who
have not experienced the wonderful Arizona outdoors.
NEW! Watch
Dolan sing a little of this song at the Arizona Folklore
Preserve (complete with photographs) (run time: 1:03)
Call
Me the Balladeer: One of Dolan's theme songs,
in which he expresses the feeling that the songs are
more important than the singer.
Camino
del Diablo: The Devil's Highway, a 150-mile
stretch in the far southwestern corner of Arizona,
one of the driest and hottest desert areas to be found
in the U.S. Recorded on the "Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
Cochise
County: Written on commission, this song covers
many aspects of Cochise County life.
Cowboy's
Vision: A Christmas song Dolan used for his
first Balladeer Card, the Christmas card for 2002.
Cowboy's Vision was previously recorded on the "Touch
the Earth" album (now a CD). The recording for the
Christmas card is a significant update, an incredibly
beautiful recording that makes one feel reverent.
Two video clips are presented here, each with
Dolan singing at a campfire:
Cowgirl
and the Devil: This song, written for the "Cowgirls" play
and recorded on the "Cowgirls" CD, is one of the most
theatrical of Dolan's recordings.
Cowgirls: The theme song for
the "Cowgirls" play. "Here's to the cowgirls who live in
their own world and sing their own kind of song..." Recorded
on the "Cowgirls"
CD.
D,
E, F:
Don't
Let Me Down: A song with a jazz beat, part
of the Cowgirls play and recorded on the "Cowgirls" CD.
Early
Morning Blue:
A really beautiful, romantic song that unforunately fits in
the list of "Songs I [Dolan] Seldom Sing." .
Electric
Anthill: Dolan compares the lights of Phoenix
highways, as seen from higher ground, to ants on an
anthill. He wrote this song when the population was
less than 25% of what it is now, so the Electric Anthill
has become much more of a force. This song is on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
Frank
Murphy's Impossible Bradshaw Mountain Railroad:
Frank Murphy was an Arizonan who refused to take no
for an answer and as a result increased his riches
significantly when he built a railroad that couldn't
be done. It's recorded on the "Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
G,
H, I:
Geronimo: One of Dolan's greatest
songs. It is just over 10 minutes on the "Tall Tales, Lost
Trails & Heroes" CD and it takes about the same amount
of time for him to introduce it and sing it on stage. When
he sings it, Dolan, the actor, truly becomes Geronimo,
and lives the life and experiences the emotions of this
amazing Apache warrior.
He
Called It Tombstone: This is the first in
what will be a series of songs about Tombstone, Arizona.
This one is about Ed Shefflin, the founder of the city
and the first person to make a big silver strike.
Hereford
Redneck: A story of a cowboy turned soldier
who becomes a hero, saving the life of a man of another
race. This song is recorded on the "Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
Hummingbird
Canyon: Dolan's nickname for Ramsey Canyon,
because it has almost all of the world's hummingbird
varieties. It's a sweet song that includes references
to the Arizona Folklore Preserve Dolan founded, such
as in the line: "Out in Hummingbird Canyon where the
folk songs are sung."
J,
K, L:
Jesus
Garcia: Not an Arizona song, this is about
a brave young man from Nacozari, Mexico, who in 1907
saved the town and its 5,000 inhabitants from disaster
and lost his own life in the process. More
than 100 statues have been placed around the Spanish-speaking
world in honor of Jesus Garcia. The town was
renamed for him. Many songs have been written
in Spanish about his bravery, but Dolan's is the only
known tribute to Jesus Garcia that is written and sung
in the English language.
Keeper
of the Town: This is the story of Sunnyside,
a ghost town in the Huachuca Mountains, just 3 miles
from the Arizona Folklore Preserve as the crow flies,
but about 30 miles of rough terrain and switchbacks
by automobile. The photography of the 1970 remains
of the mining town that was deserted in the 1930s,
along with those of Reverend John McIntyre and his
wife, Anna, who returned to live alone there after
retirement, is especially important because John and
Anna are now gone, and there is almost nothing let
of any of the buildings. This song is on Dolan's "Touch
the Earth" CD.
Lady
of the Ledge: A Hopi woman leaped to her death
from a ledge in Coal Canyon more than 100 years ago,
and her ghost can be seen on moonlit nights. This
song is included on the "Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
Lake
Powell: Beautiful song, beautiful photography.
Many people don't realize there was a huge controversy
over the construction of Glen Canyon Dam to create
this incredible lake in the desert, and that there
are still environmentalists who would love to drain
the lake. In his introduction, Dolan always tells both
sides of the controversy.
Leon
the Peon: A song about a hippie, this comical
number has a number of interesting twists.
Low
Down, No Down Payment Home: The story of Mr.
Carter, a World War II veteran who chose to live in
the desert in a home made of scraps from old homes,
license plates, and other found objects. Dolan's photography
to go with this song illustrates the trust the small
animals had for Mr. Carter. This song is recorded
on the "Tuba
City" CD.
M,
N, O:
Magic
Mountain: A wonderful spiritual song about
forces stronger than mankind. It's the final track
on "Tall Tales,
Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
Many
Cherry Canyon Boy: A beautiful song made even
more beautiful by Dolan's photography of the (then)
15-year-old Navajo boy in his native Canyon de Chelly.
It's recorded on the "...after the show (TM)" DVD.
Mogollon
Monster: The Mogollon Monster is Arizona's
answer to Big Foot. Dolan put a new twist on him, making
him a litter eater who only bothers children who are
litterbugs.
My
Rodeo Home: Fans of yodeling may find this
to be their favorite Dolan Ellis song. It was written
for the Cowgirls play and is included in the "Cowgirls" CD.
There's a bit of humor in the song about the life of
a rodeo clown on the road.
Nature's
Children: A very pretty song, with beautiful
photography of the Havasupai Canyon to illustrate it.
This song is on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
The
Old Crook Trail: Both a biographical song
about General George Crook of the Indian Wars, and
a story of the trail he created on the Mogollon Rim.
Recorded on the "Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes" CD.
The
Old Homestead: Dolan's inspiration for this
song was a run-down, deserted old ranch homehe happened
upon, in an area that was almost 6,000 feet in elevation.
He took photographs during the day at the ranch, then
wrote the song from memory around his solo campfire
that evening. The result is available on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
One
Ghost Town :
A great Halloween song, best enjoyed with the spooky slides
from a Halloween visit by Dolan and his son to one
of those deserted towns.
Only
the Dead Stay Down: A song from Cowgirls, it's
both funny and serious. The point is that in the sport
of rodeo, there are no time-outs and there is no room
for wimps. This is available on the "Cowgirls" CD.
Orphan
of the Hills: This song is about the mustang
horse and is included on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
It's a wonderful song that expresses the hope that
the mustang breed will survive. The photography Dolan
uses is not his own, but there are truly stunning pictures
of herds of the wild horses.
The video below was taken
at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch east of Tucson, and the horses
are not wild mustangs, but very sweet and tame. They
seemed to be enjoying the taping session.
P,
Q, R:
Ramsey
Canyon Rainy Day: A bluesy song, perfect for
singing on one of those rare stormy afternoons at the
Arizona Folklore Preserve.
The
Retirin' of Old George Cline: A biographical
song about a rancher in the Tonto Basin whose holdings
were vast, who was a rodeo champion. "How can we say
he died when the memory of a man is so much alive;
let's just call it the retirin' of Old George Cline." It's
recorded on the "...after the show (TM)" DVD.
Rodeo
Road:: Another song from Cowgirls, a lively
song about the life of a rodeo cowgirl.
S:,
T, U:
Sierra
Vista: Dolan wrote this song to commemorate
the 10th anniversary of the Sierra Vista Symphony in
2005, and to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of
the City of Sierra Vista in 2006. He sang "Sierra
Vista" with the Symphony in April 15, 2005,
with the audience at the Buena Performing Arts Center
joining him on the chorus. The reprise was at
the Veterans' Memorial Park in Sierra Vista on Memorial
Day weekend, 2006, for the big anniversary. That
performance was also with the Sierra Vista Symhony.
Son
of the Desert: A semi-autobiographical
song, this one reflects Dolan's feelings about
the desert and the Southwest. The hero of the song
now "makes
a living with a guitar in his hand." It's included
on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
Song
of Spring : Dolan wrote this song to celebrate
spring in Arizona. HIs photography that goes
with the song is truly spectacular, just as springtime
in Arizona is. The song is recorded on the "Tuba
City" CD and also as a single song in a greeting
card package that includes the photography as a slide
show on DVD.
Summer
is Over: A song about the passing of seasons
as another year goes by.
Tall
Tales, Lost Trails & Heroes: A theme song,
recorded on the CD by the same title.
Therapeutic
4-Wheel Drive: Dolan has written a lot of songs
that are just plain fun, and this is one of them: "Is
this trail too steep for my dusty old Jeep and can
I get it to the other side." It's recorded on the "Touch
the Earth" CD.
Tuba
City Truck Stop: The full title is "Who's Gonna
Run the Truck Stop in Tuba City When I'm Gone." One
of Dolan's more fun songs, it's a lively number that
many of his fans from the 1970s request again and again.
This one is recorded on the CD by the same title.
V,
W, X, Y, Z:
Underground
Music: This song is about spelunking, or cave
exploration. It's part of the "Touch
the Earth" CD
and is illustrated on stage with some great photography.
Wildfire: A
wonderful tribute to the firefighters who were finally
able to stop the Rodeo-Chediski Fire of 2002. Dolan recorded
Wildfire on a single-song
CD available for purchase in
support of Dolan's CDs for New Trees campaign. Listen
Wildflowers: A Cowgirls song
that analogizes cowgirls and wildflowers: sturdy and strong
and yet pretty. Included on the "Cowgirls" CD.
Wind
Bells, Wind Chimes: A beautifully romantic
song about chimes, especially the ones crafted by architect
Paolo Soleri.
Wintertime
and Snowin' : A dreamy song for a snowy winter's
day.
Yuppieville: A song from Cowgirls,
one that reveals the greedy lifestyle of one of the champion
cowgirls in the play. It's recorded on the "...after the
show (TM)" DVD as well as on the "Cowgirls" CD.
Zoom
Va Va Voom: About a trip to a border town in
Mexico, a bit too much to drink, and perhaps a bit
too much fun. |
