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Cowboy
Tyler the Creator Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Knock knock motherfucks it's me Mr. Clusterfuck
What, when, where, how, like who gives a fuck
Golf Wang M-O-B, mopping niggas ante up
Ain't been this fucking sick since brain cancer ate my Granny up
Rest in peace, her lying it, life ain't got no light in it
Darker than that closet that nigga Frankie was hiding in
Open it, dope in it, Bobby where's my fucking pipe?
Address my little dick as Ike, twenty says I hit your wife
This is life, truthfully I just want to fly some kites
Grab Salem and Slater and go around, riding bikes
Get some ice cream, Golf Wang rascals toward the night
To skate around and do annoying shit that older peeps despise
Fuck it though, going hard as riga mo
Got a nigga dollars and a couple cracker kids at shows
Cracked a couple kids in the head with this cast
Had a blast out in Europe, had a Swedish bitch lickin' toes
That's how it goes, designing clothes, cats on everything, cats on everything
You think all this money will make a happy me?
But I'm 'bout as lonely as crackers that supermodels eat
Everybody's sparking it but me and I keep coughing
Can't keep calm in this hot box and I get nauseous
Hop in the car and write a song as I'm heading straight to the office
Pissed off at Jasper because that's some faggot shit called "Pink Dolphin"
I roll here on a mean unicorn
Green hat, Vans, Golf top is the team uniform
Downin' that Capri Sun, tighten my bandana up
Something like a les, I'm forgetting my damn manners 'cause

I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy

When you're alone thoughts start coming in
Punching in that dark lock box and they start rummaging
Shit you've got to battle with, wishing they could skedaddle
But it makes your shadow say none, fun and grab the gun again
I needed to get out of the house
So I hit the Dead Sams, and we went biking it out
In a black hoodie, with an Arizona and a bag of Skittles
Just to see what all that fucking hype is about
Now everytime you see a roach you think of me, ay?
'Cause everytime I see one I think what his parents would say
In court saying I ate him, I wasn't present that day
I was with Whitney smoking, sitting at the dock of the bay

I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy

Do you know how weird it is knowing I make a bunch of cheese
While my friends can't afford little pizzas from Little Caesars
And their whole goal is to roll up and smoke bowls
So I don't feel bad when they not eating
(But you still treating us you punk bitch)
Wolf Haley got more methods than Pinkman
I'm never civil Fuck Lincoln
Preme out the bag it's no wrinkles
I'm okie dokie and loopy
And booboo nana and caca
If you think I'm fucking cuckoo
Try talking to my shrink then

Hey
Bitch
I'm right here
Yo who's that?
That's Salem
That's my girlfriend
Stay the fuck away from her alright?

I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy on my own trip
And I am the cowboy

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Tyler the Creator's song Cowboy, "Knock knock motherfucks it's me Mr. Clusterfuck, What, when, where, how, like who gives a fuck," set the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics are a stream of consciousness, with Tyler expressing his thoughts and experiences over a variety of beats. He touches on a range of subjects, from his fashion line (Golf Wang M-O-B) to his loneliness and anxiety ("Can't keep calm in this hot box and I get nauseous"). He also reflects on his success and the struggles of his friends who can't afford basic necessities like pizza.


Tyler also discusses his own mental health, using imagery of a "dark lock box" filled with intrusive thoughts that he battles and wishes he could just make "skedaddle". He mentions his therapist and acknowledges that he can be difficult to talk to. The chorus, "I am the cowboy on my own trip", can be interpreted as Tyler asserting his independence and individuality in the face of the constant pressures and expectations placed on him.


Overall, the song Cowboy is a candid depiction of Tyler the Creator's life and psyche, paired with his signature production and delivery style.


Line by Line Meaning

Knock knock motherfucks it's me Mr. Clusterfuck
Tyler the Creator is introducing himself as Mr. Clusterfuck, who enters unapologetically and demands attention.


What, when, where, how, like who gives a fuck
Tyler is dismissing the idea of worrying about the details of life with a rhetorical question, asking why anyone should care.


Golf Wang M-O-B, mopping niggas ante up
Tyler is shouting out his group, Golf Wang, and claiming they're taking over and making money.


Ain't been this fucking sick since brain cancer ate my Granny up
Tyler is comparing his sickness and troubles to something as severe as his grandmother dying from brain cancer.


Rest in peace, her lying it, life ain't got no light in it
Tyler is paying his respects to his grandmother and acknowledging that life can be dark and depressing.


Darker than that closet that nigga Frankie was hiding in
Tyler is referencing a friend who was hiding in a closet in a dark and uncomfortable situation.


Open it, dope in it, Bobby where's my fucking pipe?
Tyler is demanding his drug paraphernalia from his friend Bobby.


Address my little dick as Ike, twenty says I hit your wife
Tyler is making a crude joke and offering to fight the person using humor and bravado.


This is life, truthfully I just want to fly some kites
Tyler is acknowledging that despite his aggressive persona, his true desires are simple and innocent.


Grab Salem and Slater and go around, riding bikes
Tyler is naming his friends and listing a fun activity they could do together.


Get some ice cream, Golf Wang rascals toward the night
Tyler is suggesting they continue to have fun and be mischievous.


To skate around and do annoying shit that older peeps despise
Tyler is describing their behavior as potentially annoying to adults.


Fuck it though, going hard as riga mo
Tyler is deciding to go all out with his behavior, regardless of the consequences.


Got a nigga dollars and a couple cracker kids at shows
Tyler is acknowledging he has money and fans from all walks of life at his shows.


Cracked a couple kids in the head with this cast
Tyler is using humor to describe hitting people with his cast.


Had a blast out in Europe, had a Swedish bitch lickin' toes
Tyler is describing his fun experiences in Europe, including a sexual encounter with a woman.


That's how it goes, designing clothes, cats on everything, cats on everything
Tyler is referencing his clothing line and the association with cats as a popular trend.


You think all this money will make a happy me?
Tyler is questioning the idea that money will make him happy.


But I'm 'bout as lonely as crackers that supermodels eat
Tyler is comparing his loneliness to the emptiness of a cracker that a supermodel would barely eat.


Everybody's sparking it but me and I keep coughing
Tyler is referencing smoking marijuana and acknowledging that he can't handle it as well as others.


Can't keep calm in this hot box and I get nauseous
Tyler is describing feeling sick in a car filled with smoke.


Hop in the car and write a song as I'm heading straight to the office
Tyler is describing how he uses his time in the car to work on music, even on his way to a business meeting.


Pissed off at Jasper because that's some faggot shit called "Pink Dolphin"
Tyler is expressing anger with a friend because of a clothing brand they're associated with.


I roll here on a mean unicorn
Tyler is using humor to describe himself riding a unicorn.


Green hat, Vans, Golf top is the team uniform
Tyler is describing the clothing he and his friends usually wear as a uniform of sorts.


Downin' that Capri Sun, tighten my bandana up
Tyler is describing drinking a Capri Sun and adjusting his bandana, both childish and potentially comical actions.


Something like a les, I'm forgetting my damn manners 'cause
Tyler is using a derogatory term and acknowledging his own lack of manners.


When you're alone thoughts start coming in
Tyler is describing how being alone can trigger negative or introspective thoughts.


Punching in that dark lock box and they start rummaging
Tyler is personifying his own thoughts and implying they're digging up negative memories or experiences.


Shit you've got to battle with, wishing they could skedaddle
Tyler is acknowledging the struggle of dealing with negative thoughts and wishing they would just go away.


But it makes your shadow say none, fun and grab the gun again
Tyler is suggesting that negative thoughts can lead to dangerous actions or behavior.


I needed to get out of the house
Tyler is describing a desire to leave his home, potentially to escape his negative thoughts.


So I hit the Dead Sams, and we went biking it out
Tyler is naming a location and activity he did with his friends to escape his thoughts.


In a black hoodie, with an Arizona and a bag of Skittles
Tyler is describing what he was wearing and what he brought with him on his bike ride.


Just to see what all that fucking hype is about
Tyler is referencing the Trayvon Martin case and the controversy surrounding it.


Now everytime you see a roach you think of me, ay?
Tyler is referencing a line from a previous song and implying that he has an impact on people's thoughts and memories.


'Cause everytime I see one I think what his parents would say
Tyler is making a macabre joke and suggesting what the parents of a dead roach would say.


In court saying I ate him, I wasn't present that day
Tyler is continuing the joke and making light of the situation by referencing a court case where he's being accused of eating a roach.


I was with Whitney smoking, sitting at the dock of the bay
Tyler is referencing Whitney Houston and a famous song, potentially alluding to his own drug use.


Do you know how weird it is knowing I make a bunch of cheese
Tyler is reflecting on his own success and acknowledging how strange it feels.


While my friends can't afford little pizzas from Little Caesars
Tyler is acknowledging the financial struggles of his friends who can't even afford cheap fast food.


And their whole goal is to roll up and smoke bowls
Tyler is describing the goals of some of his friends and implying that they may not have a lot of ambition.


So I don't feel bad when they not eating
Tyler is suggesting that he doesn't feel guilty for his own success when his friends are struggling.


(But you still treating us you punk bitch)
Tyler's friends are acknowledging that he is still treating them well and providing for them despite his success and potential distance from their struggles.


Wolf Haley got more methods than Pinkman
Tyler is referencing his own nickname and implying that he has more ways to make money or succeed than a character from Breaking Bad.


I'm never civil Fuck Lincoln
Tyler is using humor and aggression to dismiss the idea of being polite or respectful.


Preme out the bag it's no wrinkles
Tyler is referencing the brand Supreme and suggesting that he has high quality items from the brand with no wrinkles.


I'm okie dokie and loopy
Tyler is jokingly describing himself as feeling okay and a little bit crazy.


And booboo nana and caca
Tyler is using childish language and humor.


If you think I'm fucking cuckoo
Tyler is acknowledging that he can be seen as crazy or unusual.


Try talking to my shrink then
Tyler is suggesting that he has a therapist or psychiatrist who can attest to his mental state.


Hey
A greeting or attention grabber.


Bitch
A derogatory term.


I'm right here
Tyler is announcing his presence or location.


Yo who's that?
Tyler is answering a question from someone else.


That's Salem
Tyler is introducing someone named Salem.


That's my girlfriend
Tyler is declaring that Salem is his girlfriend.


Stay the fuck away from her alright?
Tyler is becoming protective and aggressive towards anyone who might want to pursue Salem romantically.


I am the cowboy on my own trip
Tyler is describing himself as being on his own journey and having his own experiences.


And I am the cowboy
Tyler is repeating the statement and reinforcing his sense of individuality and independence.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tyler Okonma

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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