Released August 17, 1999 Label Atlantic | Length 4:17 | |
Recorded Temper Mill Studios, Detroit, Michigan Genre Country rap, rap rock, southern rock Writer(s) R. J. Ritchie, Matthew Shafer, James Trombly, John Travis | ||
"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 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.
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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. "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.
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.