Friday August 26, 2022 “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone” Paula Cole

A valid question given the topic this week with the answer suggested that they may all have gone to the Kevin Costner series Yellowstone.

Singer/songwriter Paula Cole has said of the song's lyrics: "It's so many things woven together: wit, irony, humor, melancholy, and gender role examination. It's all these things put together musically in this plaintive, Americana pop way."

Cole earned seven Grammy nominations in 1998, three specifically for ”Where Have All the Cowboys Gone”: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The album that contained today’s song, This Fire was up for Album of the Year and Best Pop Album, and Cole was also nominated for Best New Artist and Producer of the Year. "Sunny Came Home" by Shawn Colvin won the Song and Record of the Year awards, and Bob Dylan got Album of the Year for Time Out Of Mind, but Cole won for Best New Artist.

Veteran director Ed Steinberg did the video for this song, which has a rustic feel centered around various shots of Cole singing into the camera. Cole said she hated doing videos, but knew they had to be done but said she couldn't muster any real acting, but was able to sing into the camera and do a little dancing.

Stay safe and well..and perhaps not the most uplifting of songs lyrically yet an interesting tune.

Oh you get me ready in your 56 Chevy

Why don't we go sit down in the shade

Take shelter on my front porch

The dandy lion sun scorching

Like a glass of cold lemonade

I will do the laundry

If you pay all the bills

 Where is my John Wayne

Where is my prairie song

Where is my happy ending

Where have all the cowboys gone

 Why don't you stay the evening

Kick back and watch the TV

And I'll fix a little something to eat

Oh I know your back hurts from working on the tractor

How do you take your coffee my sweet

I will raise the children

If you pay all the bills

 Where is my John Wayne

Where is my prairie song

Where is my happy ending

Where have all the cowboys gone

 I am wearing my new dress tonight

But you don't, but you don't even notice me

Say goodbyes

Say goodbyes

Say goodbyes

 We finally sell the Chevy

When we had another baby

And you took the job in Tennessee

You made friends at the farm

And you joined them at the bar

Almost every single day of the week

 I will wash the dishes

While you go have a beer

Where is my John Wayne

Where is my prairie song

Where is my happy ending

Where have all the cowboys gone

 Where is my Marlboro man

Where is his shiny gun

Where is my lonely ranger

Where have all the cowboys gone

Where have all the cowboys gone

Where have all the cowboys gone

 Yippee yo, yippee yeah

Yippee yo, yippee yeah

Yippee yo, yippee yeah

Yippee yo, yippee yeah

Yippee yo, yippee yeah

Yippee yo, yippee yeah

Yippee yo, yippee yeah