Porter replaced some lines, rearranged lyric phrases, and added two verses. canвЂ™t stand fences,вЂќ but in some places modified them to give them вЂњthe smart Porter touchвЂќ. western skiesвЂќ, вЂњ cayuseвЂќ, вЂњwhere the west commences,вЂќ and вЂњ. cottonwood treesвЂќ, вЂњturn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle,вЂќ вЂњmountains rise. Porter's revision of the song retained quite a few portions of Fletcher's lyrics, such as вЂњGive me land, lots of landвЂќ, вЂњ. Although it was one of the most popular songs of its time, Porter claimed it was his least favorite of his compositions. After the song became popular, however, Fletcher hired attorneys who negotiated his co-authorship credit in subsequent publications. Copyright Office solely lists words and music by Cole Porter. The original copyright publication notice dated Octoand the copyright card dated and filed on Octoin the U.S. Porter had wanted to give Fletcher co-authorship credit, but his publishers did not allow it. Porter reworked Fletcher's poem, and when the song was first published, Porter was credited with sole authorship. Cole Porter, who had been asked to write a cowboy song for the 20th Century Fox musical, bought the poem from Fletcher for $250. Originally written in 1934 for Adios, Argentina, an unproduced 20th Century Fox film musical, 'Don't Fence Me In' was based on text by Robert (Bob) Fletcher, a poet and engineer with the Department of Highways in Helena, Montana.

Bobs western saddle