About the song
Background
- Released in 1982 on the album “Used to Want to Be a Cowboy”
- Written by Jake Brooks
- A signature song for Chris LeDoux, a rodeo champion turned country singer known for his authentic cowboy persona
Themes
- The Cowboy Hat as a Symbol: The song uses the cowboy hat as a metaphor for a cowboy’s life, experiences, and identity. The hat represents the hardships, the dedication, and the pride associated with the cowboy way of life.
- Celebrating the Cowboy Life: The song paints a picture of a rugged, independent existence working the range and facing the challenges of the natural world.
- Nostalgia: There’s a sense of longing for the traditional cowboy lifestyle, particularly evident in the line “Used to want to be a cowboy, just like heroes in a book.”
Lyrics
The song follows a narrative format, with the lyrics detailing the various things the hat has seen and endured throughout the cowboy’s life. Here are some excerpts that highlight the themes:
- “This Stetson’s got a story, if it could only talk / Of cattle drives and dusty trails, and nights beneath the stars.” (Hat as a symbol of experience)
- “It’s felt the sting of winter wind, and scorching summer sun / It’s known the thrill of victory, and what it feels like to be outrun.” (Hardships and challenges)
- “This cowboy’s hat, it’s seen it all, from mountains high to plains so wide / There’s nothin’ fancy ’bout this hat, but it’s got nothin’ left to hide.” (Celebrating the simple, authentic life)
Video
Lyrics
Well, I was sittin’ in a coffee shop, just havin’ a cup to pass the timeSwappin’ Rodeo stories, with this ol’ cowboy friend of mineWhen some motorcycle riders started snickerin’ in the backThey started pokin’ fun at my friends hat
And one ol’ boy said, “Hey, Tex, where’d you park your horse?”My friend just pulled his hat down low, but they couldn’t be ignoredOne husky fella said, “I think I’ll just rip that hat right off your head”That’s when my friend turned around, and this is what he said
“You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western skyYou’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dryBulldog the Mississippi and pin its ears down flatLong before you take this cowboy’s hat”
He said, “Partner, now this ol’ hat it’s better left aloneYou see, it used to be my daddy’s, but last year he passed onMy nephew skinned the rattler that makes up this ol’ hat bandBut back in ’69, he died in Vietnam”
“Now the eagle feather was given to me by an Indian friend of mineBut someone ran him down somewhere around that Arizona lineAnd a real special lady gave me this hat pinBut I don’t know if I’ll ever see her again”
“You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western skyYou’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dryBulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flatLong before you take this cowboy’s hat”
“Now if your leather jacket means to you what this ol’ hat means to meThen I guess we understand each other, and we’ll just let it beBut if you still think it’s funny, my back’s against the wallBut if you touch my hat, you gotta fight us all”
Right then I caught a little sadness in that gang leader’s eyesHe turned back to the others, and they all just shuffled on outsideBut when my friend turned back towards me, I noticed his ol’ hat brimWell, it was turned up, in a big ol’ Texas grin
You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western skyYou’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dryBulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flatLong before you take this cowboy’s hat
You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western skyYou’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dryBulldog the Mississippi, pin its ears down flatLong before you take this cowboy’s hat
You’ll ride a black tornado ‘cross the western skyYou’ll rope an ol’ blue northern, and milk it ’til it’s dry