I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone

"I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone?"
Sheet music cover (1913)
Song
Published	1913
Genre	Ragtime
Writer(s)	Shelton Brooks

"Yellow Dog Rag"
Sheet music cover (1915)
Song
Published	1915
Genre	Ragtime
Writer(s)	W.C. Handy

"I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone?" is a ragtime/blues song written by Shelton Brooks in 1913. Sometimes categorized as hokum, it led to an answer song written in 1915 by W.C. Handy, "Yellow Dog Rag", later titled "Yellow Dog Blues". Lines and melody from both songs show up in the 1920s and 1930s in such songs as "E. Z. Rider", "See See Rider", "C. C. Rider", and "Easy Rider Blues".

Written for the vaudeville stage, the lyrics tell of a Susie Johnson who bets on a horse race using a tip from Jockey Lee, who subsequently runs off with her money.

First verse:

Miss Susie Johnson is a crazy as can be
About that easy riding kid they call Jockey Lee
Now don't you think it's funny, only bets her money
In the race friend jockey's goin' to be
There was a race down at the track the other day
And Susie got an inside tip right away
She bet a "hundred to one" that her little "Hon"
Would bring home all the "mon"
When she found out "Jockey" was not there
Miss Susie cried out in despair

I wonder where my easy rider's gone today
He never told me he was goin' away
If he was here he'd win the race
If not first he'd get a "place"
Cash in our winnings, on a "joy-ride" we'd go, right away
I'm losing my money that's why I am blue
To win a race, Lee knows just what to do
I'd put all my junk in pawn
To be on any horse that jockey's on
Oh' I wonder where my easy rider's gone

"I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone?" was first popularized on the vaudeville stage by Sophie Tucker. It is most noted for its performance in a 1933 movie, She Done Him Wrong, in which Mae West sang it in a suggestive manner. It is perhaps this performance which gave it its hokum reputation.

In 1915, W.C. Handy wrote an answer song to "I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Gone?" which he called "Yellow Dog Rag." "Yellow Dog Rag" sold poorly. In 1919, he retitled it "Yellow Dog Blues" to take advantage of the popularity of blues, after which it sold moderately well. His song explains what became of Jockey Lee.

First verse:

E'er since Miss Susan Johnson lost her Jockey, Lee
There has been much excitement, more to be
You can hear her moaning night and morn
She's wonderin where her Easy Rider's gone?
Cablegrams goes off inquiry
Telegrams goes off sympathy
Letters come from down in "Bam"
And everywhere that Uncle Sam
Has even a rural delivery
All day the phone rings, but it's not for me
At las' good tidings fill our heart with glee
This message came from Tennessee