"Tumbling Tumbleweeds" is a Western music song composed by Bob Nolan, a founding member of the

Sons of the Pioneers The Sons of the Pioneers are one of the United States' earliest Western singing groups. Known for their vocal performances, their musicianship, and their songwriting, they produced innovative recordings that have inspired many Western music per ...

. Nolan wrote the song in the early 1930s while he was working as a caddy and living in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. It was first recorded by the Sons of the Pioneers in 1934, and it became one of the most famous songs associated with the group. Originally titled "Tumbling Leaves", the song was reworked into the title "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" and into more widespread fame with the 1935 film of the same name starring

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American actor, musician, singer, composer, rodeo performer, and baseball team owner, who largely gained fame by singing in a Crooner ...

. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

Cover versions

* The

first recorded the song for

Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...

on August 8, 1934, and it enjoyed chart success that year. Their 1934 recording was selected by the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

as a 2010 addition to the

National Recording Registry The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant, and inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation ...

, which selects recordings annually that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Their 1946 version of the song was featured in the 1998 film ''

The Big Lebowski ''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, directed, produced and co-edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. It follows the life of Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted ...

'', though it did not appear on the soundtrack release. *

recorded his version on January 11, 1935, at ARC Studios,

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. *

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

recorded the song with John Scott Trotter's Orchestra in Los Angeles 9 February 1940. This version reached the No. 12 position in the charts of the day during a 7-week stay. Crosby recorded the song again in 1954 for his album '' Bing: A Musical Autobiography''. *

Kate Smith Kathryn Elizabeth Smith (May 1, 1907 – June 17, 1986) was an American contralto. Referred to as The First Lady of Radio, Smith became well known for her renditions of "God Bless America" and "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain". She began ...

recorded the song on June 1, 1945 for Columbia (36871) and it is available on her CD ''16 Most Requested Songs''. * Jazz trombonist J. J. Johnson recorded a version of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" in the 1956 album '' J Is for Jazz''. *

Slim Whitman Ottis Dewey "Slim" Whitman Jr. (January 20, 1923 – June 19, 2013) was an American country music singer and guitarist known for his yodeling abilities and his use of falsetto. Recorded figures show 70 million sales, during a career that spanne ...

had a top twenty hit in the UK with "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" in 1956. *

Roger Williams (pianist) Roger Williams (born Louis Jacob Weertz; October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011) was an American popular music pianist. Described by the ''Los Angeles Times'' as "one of the most popular instrumentalists of the mid-20th century", and "the rare ins ...

recorded his version of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" that reached #60 in US in 1956. *

Pat Boone Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, author, television personality, radio host and philanthropist. He sold nearly 50 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and has acted in many films. Boone ...

recorded a version of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" with his wife Shirley Boone on their 1959 album "Side by Side". *

Johnnie Ray John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Highly popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor to what became rock and roll, for his jazz and blu ...

recorded his version for the 1959 album ''On the Trail''. * Jazz guitarist

Grant Green Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Green has been called one of the "most sampled guitarists." Biography Grant Green was born on June 6, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, to John and ...

recorded a version in 1962, which was released on the 1969 album '' Goin' West'', and features

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

on piano. * Film actor

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...

recorded a version on his 1962 album ''Cowboy Favorites''. *

Frankie Laine Frankie Laine (born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; March 30, 1913 – February 6, 2007) was an American singer and songwriter whose career spanned nearly 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performa ...

recorded a version on his 1962 album ''Call of the Wild''. *

Lorne Greene Lorne Hyman Greene (born Lyon Himan Green; February 12, 1915 – September 11, 1987) was a Canadian actor, singer, and radio personality. His notable television roles include Ben Cartwright on the Western ''Bonanza'' and Commander Adama in ...

recorded the song for his 1965 album ''American West''. *

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

covered the song on their 1965 album '' The Supremes Sing Country, Western & Pop'', although it was recorded two years earlier.

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...

sings lead. *

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band to great commercial success from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947, but ...

recorded a version on his 1966 album ''Harry James & His Western Friends'' ( Dot DLP 3735 and DLP 25735). * In the song "Turn on, Tune in, Drop Out" by

The Fugs The Fugs are an American rock band formed in New York City in late 1964, by the poets Ed Sanders and Tuli Kupferberg, with Ken Weaver (musician), Ken Weaver on drums. Soon afterward, they were joined by Peter Stampfel and Steve Weber of the Holy ...

on their 1968 album '' Tenderness Junction'', the chorus of "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" is sung over part of the instrumental section. *

Don Everly Isaac Donald Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) was an American musician. Everly was one-half of the singing duo The Everly Brothers alongside his younger brother Phil Everly, Phil. Early life Don was born in Brownie, Kentucky on Febru ...

recorded a version in 1970. It is the opening track on the album ''Don Everly''. *

Michael Nesmith Robert Michael Nesmith (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the Monkees and co-star of their The Monkees (TV series), TV series of the same name (1966–1968) ...

covered the song with his band The First National Band on their album '' Nevada Fighter'', released in 1971. *

Marty Robbins Martin David Robinson (September 26, 1925 – December 8, 1982), known professionally as Marty Robbins, was an American country and western singer and songwriter. He was one of the most popular and successful singers of his genre for most o ...

recorded a version on his 1979 album ''All Around Cowboy''. *

Leo Kottke Leo Kottke (born September 11, 1945) is an American acoustic guitarist. He is known for a fingerpicking style that draws on blues, jazz, and folk music, and for syncopated, polyphonic melodies. He has overcome a series of personal obstacles, i ...

recorded a version on his 1981 album '' Guitar Music''. *

Meat Puppets Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood (guitar/vocals), his brother Cris Kirkwood (bass guitar/vocals), and Derrick Bostrom (drums). The Kirkwood brothe ...

recorded a cover on their 1982 self-titled debut album. *

Michael Martin Murphey Michael Martin Murphey (born March 14, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter. He was one of the founding artists of progressive country. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including ''Cowboy Songs (Michael Martin Murphey alb ...

recorded a version on his 1990 album '' Cowboy Songs''. * Element of Crime released a version of on their 1996 album ''Die schönen Rosen''. * Punch Brothers played the song live at New York City Town Hall in 2013 at a promotional concert for the film ''

Inside Llewyn Davis ''Inside Llewyn Davis'' () is a 2013 period black comedy drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in 1961, the film follows one week in the life of Llewyn Davis, played by Oscar Isaac in his breakthrough ...

''. The concert was later released as an album.

Film appearances

* 1935 – '' Tumbling Tumbleweeds'' * 1943 – '' Silver Spurs'' – Performed by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers * 1944 – '' Hollywood Canteen'' – Sung by Sons of the Pioneers * 1945 – '' Don't Fence Me In'' – Sung by

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), nicknamed the King of the Cowboys, was an American singer, actor, television host, and Rodeo, rodeo performer. Following early work under his given name, first as a c ...

Dale Evans Dale Evans Rogers (born Frances Octavia Smith; October 31, 1912 – February 7, 2001) was an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the second wife of singing cowboy film star Roy Rogers. Early life and career Dale Evans was born ...

and the Sons of the Pioneers * 1978 – ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...

'' – Sung by Anson Williams at the end of part three of "Westward Ho" * 1982 – '' M*A*S*H "Pressure Points"'' * 1991 – ''

City Slickers ''City Slickers'' is a 1991 American Western comedy film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby and Jack Palance, with supporting roles by Patricia Wettig, Helen Slater and Noble Willingham, and ...

'' * 1998 – ''

'' * 2000 – '' Two of Us'' * 2020 – ''

Nomadland ''Nomadland'' is a 2020 American drama film written, produced, edited and directed by Chloé Zhao. Based on the 2017 nonfiction book '' Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century'' by Jessica Bruder, it stars Frances McDormand a ...

'' * 2021 - '' Cry Macho''

References

External links

Tumbling Tumbleweeds – The Luck and the Loss
Video produced by the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

Series '' History Detectives'' {{Authority control 1934 singles 1935 singles Western music (North America) songs Sons of the Pioneers songs Gene Autry songs Bing Crosby songs Johnnie Ray songs Meat Puppets songs Burl Ives songs Slim Whitman songs Songs written by Bob Nolan United States National Recording Registry recordings