About the song
Background
- Released in October 2021, “If I Was a Cowboy” is the lead single from Miranda Lambert’s ninth studio album, Palomino.
- Lambert co-wrote the song with Jesse Frasure, and they co-produced it alongside Luke Dick and Jon Randall.
- There are two music videos for the song: a lyric video released with the song and an official video directed by Trey Fanjoy, filmed in Lambert’s home state of Texas.
Themes
The song explores themes of:
- Escapism and yearning for a simpler life: The lyrics express a desire to trade the complexities of modern life for the freedom and self-reliance of the cowboy lifestyle.
- Connection to nature: Lines about riding horses, watching sunsets, and sleeping under the stars paint a picture of living in harmony with the natural world.
- Strength and independence: The cowboy persona represents self-sufficiency and the ability to carve one’s own path.
- Femininity and empowerment: Although the cowboy is traditionally a masculine image, Lambert reclaims it for women, showcasing a strong and capable female protagonist.
Overall, “If I Was a Cowboy” is a celebration of freedom, self-reliance, and connection to the land.
Video
Lyrics
Woah-oo-woo, woah-oo-wooWoah-oo-woo, woah-oo-woo
Ridin’ off in the sunset, blue eyes under my StetsonA little lady on the front porch wishin’ my heart would start settlingBig iron hips with the holstersI’d be lookin’ mighty fine on a posterWanted by the law but the laws don’t apply to me
If I was a cowboy, I’d be wild and freeRollin’ around these towns like tumbleweedsI’d be a legend at loving and leavingNipping on a whiskey and numbing up my feelingsYou thought the West was wild but you ain’t saddled up with meIf I was a cowboy, I’d be the queen
Woah-oo-woo, woah-oo-woo
Sittin’ pretty on the prairie, babyI’m your Huckleberry, let me hold yaThis six-gun sugar’s got a hairpin trigger, like I told yaAnd this dove never really gets lonesomeI never begged, never borrowed but I stole someWanted by the law but the laws don’t apply to me, baby
If I was a cowboy, I’d be wild and freeRollin’ around these towns like tumbleweedsI’d be a legend at loving and leavingNipping on a whiskey and numbing up my feelingsYou thought the West was wild but you ain’t saddled up with meIf I was a cowboy, I’d be the queen
So mamas if your daughters grow upTo be cowboys, so what?
If I was a cowboy, I’d be wild and freeRollin’ around these towns like tumbleweeds (tumbling tumbleweeds)I’d be a legend at loving and leavingNipping on a whiskey and numbing up my feelingsYou thought the West was wild but you ain’t saddled up with me (up with me)If I was a cowboy, I’d be the queenWoah-oo-wooI’d be the queen
Woah-oo-woo, woah-oo-wooWoah-oo-woo, woah-oo-woo