Cowboy (Kid Rock song)
| "Cowboy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Kid Rock | ||||
| from the album Devil Without a Cause | ||||
| Released | August 17, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | Temper Mill Studios, Detroit, Michigan | |||
| Genre | Country rap, rap rock, southern rock | |||
| Length | 4:17 | |||
| Label | Atlantic | |||
| Writer(s) | R. J. Ritchie, Matthew Shafer, James Trombly, John Travis | |||
| Producer(s) | John Travis, Kid Rock | |||
| Kid Rock singles chronology | ||||
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"Cowboy" is a single by Kid Rock from his album Devil Without a Cause. The song's rapping style has been adapted by country artists like Toby Keith, Trace Adkins and Blake Shelton. Musicians inspired by this song include Uncle Kracker, Jason Aldean, Big & Rich, Eric Church, Colt Ford, Florida Georgia Line, Brantley Gilbert and Luke Bryan. Originally referred to as Hick Hop it has gone on to be labeled as Bro Country. His 2008 single "All Summer Long" helped push along bro country more so then "Cowboy". Both with themes of partying,drinking, boats, cars and girls. The song also helped influence a more prominent hip hop from the south, drawling on country music in Bubba Sparks, Rehab, The Lacs and Moonshine Bandits. Kid Rock actually did this first on the song "Desperate-Rado" on his independent release The Polyfuze Method, in 1993, but "Cowboy" broke into the mainstream.
Kid Rock describes the song as "Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Run-D.M.C.". The song uses dobro, slide, banjo and a ragtime piano, which was a sample of The Doors' "L.A. Woman". The song was originally rejected by Atlantic Records, after Kid Rock told them it was the best song he had written to that point.
The song is about how Kid Rock had foreseen his move to Hollywood to become a star. Since then he has accomplished everything the song predicted. "Cowboy" peaked at 82 on the Billboard Hot 100, 34 on The Top 40, 5 on Mainstream Rock Chart, and 10 on the Modern Rock charts. The song is used as the walk-in music for UFC fighter Donald Cerrone. This song was used for the first promotional commercial for WrestleMania XXV. An instrumental remake of this song was used by Jeff Jarrett in WCW. "Cowboy" appeared in the movies Shanghai Noon, Ready To Rumble, Serving Sara, Matchstick Men and Coyote Ugly.
In 2000, Kid Rock and The Neptunes made a rap single version of the song. There was also a live version released on the "American Bad Ass" single in 2000. The song was performed during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in 2004. A live version was released on 2006's Live Trucker with a bluesy into given to it.
Porn star Ron Jeremy and actor Gary Coleman made cameos in the music video, which was a spoof on Smokey and the Bandit. Joe C and Gary Coleman dueled while Ron Jeremy pretended to do the piano solo.
Kenny Tudrick was going to sue for not getting credit has the drummer on the track (he also did the solo on Bawitdaba). He decided not to after being asked to replace Kenny Olson in 2005.
The 80s group Boys Don't Cry failed at suing Kid Rock after they said the chorus was a rip off of their song "I Wanna Be Your Cowboy".
Parodies
Cledus T. Judd parodied the song as "Plowboy" on his album Just Another Day in Parodies. Christian parody band ApologetiX recorded a parody called "Choirboy" on their album Spoofernatural.
Cover versions
Country singers David Allan Coe, Kenny Chesney and Jason Aldean as well as former Kid Rock DJ Uncle Kracker have performed the song in concert.
Charts
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| British Singles Chart | 36 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 82 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 10 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 34 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 52 |
Personnel
- Kid Rock - vocals,banjo, acoustic guitar, piano, harp
- Bobby East - slide guitar, electric guitar
- Matt O'Brien - bass guitar
- Kenny Tudrick - drums
- Misty Love - background vocals
- Shirley Hayden - background vocals