Cowboy

Story Behind The Song

Being a kid who grew up on TV Westerns, I had these feelings since a very young age and when I wrote the initial chord pattern, the lyrics flowed.

Song Description

Subtitled "I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Cowboy" this is a mid-tempo, retro-traditional Country shuffle with a sense of humor. It's about hopes and dreams of being a Cowboy hero, catching the bad guy and getting the girl. You'll hear fiddle, pedal steel, and influences like Jimmy Webb, Bob Wills and The Eagles along the way. Fun and uplifting!

Song Length 3:58 Genre Country - Cowboy, Country - Traditional
Tempo Slow (71 - 90) Lead Vocal Male Vocal
Mood Cheerful, In High Spirits Subject Cowboy, Dreams
Similar Artists George Strait, Jimmy Webb Language English
Era 1980 - 1989

Lyrics

My family tradition tends to make me into something that I'm not.
But I can't think of a better thing for me to be than me and that's alright by me.
I don't want to spend my days and nights and years
inside some office building. NO!
Just give me the outdoors, a white horse and an old ten-gallon hat.
(What's wrong with that?): Not a thing. I just sing...

I wanna grow up to be a Cowboy, just like Buffalo Bill.
I said it when I was a five-year-old and I guess I always will,
'cause the Cowboy gets the bad guy, and the Cowboy gets the girl.
Best of all he gets a Colt 45 with a handle made of pearl.

In my dreams I'm the Sheriff of Laredo, and a Texas Ranger too.
I'm the man who told Geronimo just where to go and what he had to do.
But the mornin' brings reality right back to me,
and DAMN I'm late for work! But they can't take my dreams away.

I wanna grow up to be a Cowboy, just like Buffalo Bill.
I said it when I was a five-year-old and I guess I always will,
'cause the Cowboy gets the bad guy, and the Cowboy gets the girl.
Best of all he gets a Colt 45 with a handle made of pearl. Alright!

They can't take my dreams away!
I'm gonna grow up to be a Cowboy, just like Buffalo Bill.
I said it when I was a five-year-old and I guess I always will,
'cause the Cowboy gets the bad guy, and the Cowboy gets the girl.
Best of all he gets a Colt 45 with a handle made of pearl.
Oh yeah, I'm gonna grow up to be a Cowboy, just like Buffalo Bill.
I said it when I was a little boy and I guess I always will.
The Cowboy gets the bad guy. The Cowboy gets the girl.
Best of all he gets a Colt 45 with a handle made of pearl.
A handle made of pearl!

I really like the instrumentation and arrangement done within this song. It's very well balanced.

You are a great storyteller and I could see everything you were talking about as if I was in the same room - great attention to the finest details. This reminds me of Texas Country artists and how they write. I love that you kept it right at 4 mins long and the hook and chorus are spot on. Easy to remember the lyrics within one listen, and it's a complete thought from start to finish.

Here's a TEN STAR cowboy song...the best of the best. It's got a great topic, a great hook, an amazing vocal performance/execution and flawless instrumentation. Add that to a stellar mix/production and you have an all around fantastic song. I love the way the song engaged me from the intro to the ending. The instrumental licks by guitarist and fiddler were perfect. This song was a real pleasure to listen to. The lyrics were well-crafted! Great word pictures.

Everything in this piece is right where it should be. Well Done, nice voice and that strong bass holds it all together

Great old school country, with a new sounding instrument backing, love the fiddle. Nice touch with unexpected accents. Clear, up front vocal that really fits the song.

Nice instrumental, great song. Lyrics were good and the recording was nice and clear. Loved the violin playing! Great job. Fun song!

I absolutely love the lyrics and premise of this song. Very well written! Very relatable and well said. The music is lively and upbeat, I especially like the fiddle in the background, a nice touch, adds a kind of old country dimension. Vocals are good, voice matches well to the song and overall feel, good tone and pitch. This is a great song.

Like your song very much. Very strong effort here, nicely done. It sounds fantastic, all the instrumentation is well played and just jumps out at you. The vocals are nicely done, works very well for the tune. Any country song with a fiddle and one that's played as well as this one, is all right with me. Special thumbs up for the mix, it makes the song shine that much more.

Lyrics Robert P. Birthisel Music Robert P. Birthisel
Producer Robert P. Birthisel Publisher Worldwide Birthisel Publishing (ASCAP)
This track is on 1 Broadjam Top 10 Lists
Top 10 List Rank
Female #8

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