From the musical “The Desert Song”, 1927
Words by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Sigmund Romberg
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
Over the ground there comes a sound
It is the drum, drum, drum of hoof-beats in the sand
Quiver with fear if you are near
It is the thunder of “the Shadow and his Band” and
To understand the cry of
Refrain
Ho! So we sing as we are riding
It’s the time you’d best be hiding low
It means the Riffs are abroad
Go! before you’ve bitten the sword
Ho! that’s the sound that comes to warn you
So, in the night or early morn you know
If you’re the Red Shadow’s foe
The Riffs will strike with a blow
That brings you woe