Back in the Saddle Again” was the signature song of American cowboy entertainer Gene Autry. It was co-written by Autry with Ray Whitley and first released in 1939. The song was associated with Autry throughout his career and was used as the name of Autry’s autobiography in 1976. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as fifth of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
Although the song has long been associated with Gene Autry, the original version of “Back in the Saddle Again” was written by Ray Whitley for the film Border G-Man (RKO Pictures, June 24, 1938) starring George O’Brien, Laraine Day, and Ray Whitley in which Ray Whitley and his Six Bar Cowboys sang the song. With Ray Whitley’s Rangers, Whitley recorded the song for Decca Records on 26 October 1938.
Gene Autry liked the song and together with Whitley revised it and recorded it in April 1939