Where does "yippy kai yay" come from? the line that John McClaine says in the DIe Hard movies?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

The Die Hard version is a take on this....
Used to sing this song when I was a kid....

Bing Crosby - I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande)

I'm an old cowhand from the Rio Grande
But my legs ain't bowed and my cheeks ain't tan
I'm a cowboy who never saw a cow
Never roped a steer cause I don't know how
Sure ain't a fixin to start in now
Yippie yi yo kayah

I'm an old cowhand and I come down from the Rio Grande
And I learned to ride, ride, ride 'fore I learned to stand
I'm a riding fool who is up to date
I know every trail in the Lone Star State
Cause I ride the range in a Ford V-8
Yippie yi yo kayah

We're old cowhands from the Rio Grande
And we come to town just to hear the band
We know all the songs that the cowboys know
'Bbout the big corral where the doggies go
We learned them all on the radio
Yippie yi yo kayah


I'm an old cowhand
Oh yes, Mr. Bing.
Too hot for you, Uncle Fudd?
Down from the Rio Grande
Oh where the west is wild all around the borderland
Where the buffalo roam around the zoo
and the Injuns run up a rug or two
and the old Bar X is just a barbecue, yeah
Yippie yi yo kayah

I'm a pioneer who began from scratch
I don't bat an eye in a shootin' match.
They don't call me Elmer, they call me Satch.
Yippie yi yo kayah
Yippie yi yo kayah

Get along little horsy
Get along little horsy
Yippie yi yo kayah, oh!

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

Thanks. I liked that you gave me the lyrics, which I found surprising since although its a western song, its talking about NOT being a cowboy at all.

Im not surprised that the character John McClane would be familiar with this song. The writers seem to have made him ironic, with smart *** humor

Answer 2

Good question.

Answer 3

That's from OLD Roy Rogers western movies. It's actually from an old cowboy song called "Old Cowhand from Rio Grande" It was ORIGINALLY written and SUNG by Johnny Mercer (1936). Not Bing Crosby.

Answer 4

Not sure, but my best friend's 2 year old likes to say it. (without the mf part...lol)

Answer 5

I'll take a stab at this one! I think I remember one of the tv/movie cowboys..........Gene Autry, maybe, singing a song containing these words. I could be wrong; it's just a guess. My curiosity is piqued. I hope someone comes up with the correct answer. Thanks.

Source(s):

No source........just a senior citizen's brain! LOL