His most famous work is Alice's Restaurant, a talking blues song that lasts eighteen minutes and twenty seconds (in its original recorded version; Guthrie has been known to spin the story out to forty-five minutes in concert). The song, a bitingly satirical protest against the Vietnam War draft, is based on a true incident. In the song, Guthrie was called up for a draft examination, and rejected as unfit for military service as a result of a criminal record consisting in its entirety of a single arrest, court appearance, fine and clean-up order for littering. In reality, Guthrie, though a carrier of the genetically inherited disease Huntington's chorea, was classified as fit (1A); however, his draft-lottery number did not come up.
Cowboy Song
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I spent the day time on my own
Lots of people have come and gone
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
Oh babe, I love you so
This here is the only thing I know
It ain't right and it ain't wrong
Last night I sat till closing time
Thinking of the things that crossed my mind
You were the one I was thinking of
I guess it must be that I'm just in love
Oh babe, I love you so
This here is the only thing I know
It ain't right, it ain't wrong
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
I hope they play this song of mine
On the jukebox for a dime
Then if you leave 'cause something's wrong
You'll hear your cowboy sing an old time song
Oh babe, I love you so
This here is the only thing I know
It ain't right and it ain't wrong
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
Arlo Guthrie's "Cowboy Song" depicts the life of a lone cowboy who spends his time singing old-time songs to the people who come and go in his life. The song begins with the cowboy waking up alone and spending the day by himself before singing about his love for someone. In the second verse, he sits alone in a bar thinking about someone, who he acknowledges he must be in love with. The third and final verse seems to be a plea to the person he loves. He hopes that when they leave and they hear this song of his, they will think of him and return.
The song speaks to the loneliness that comes with a nomadic lifestyle, with the cowboy traveling from town to town, singing his songs for anyone who will listen. The cowboy's love for someone is the one constant in his life, and even though he is often alone, he knows that love is the most important thing he can offer.
Overall, "Cowboy Song" is a simple but powerful depiction of the life of a cowboy and the power of love in the midst of loneliness and transience.
Line by Line Meaning
This morning I woke up alone
I started my day without anyone next to me.
I spent the daytime on my own
I was alone the whole day.
Lots of people have come and gone
Many people have passed by me.
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
They were here to listen to a cowboy sing a traditional song.
Oh babe, I love you so
My significant other means the world to me.
This here is the only thing I know
Loving my partner is the only thing I am certain about.
It ain't right and it ain't wrong
It's not something that can be judged as good or bad.
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
It's just about listening to a rustic melody.
Last night I sat till closing time
I stayed until the bar closed last night.
Thinking of the things that crossed my mind
Reflecting on the thoughts that were occupying my mind.
You were the one I was thinking of
My thoughts were focused on you.
I guess it must be that I'm just in love
I realized that I'm deeply in love with you.
I hope they play this song of mine
I wish they would play my song on the jukebox.
On the jukebox for a dime
The jukebox only costs ten cents to use.
Then if you leave 'cause something's wrong
If you decide to leave because something is bothering you.
You'll hear your cowboy sing an old time song
You'll hear me sing a traditional cowboy tune.
Oh babe, I love you so
My feelings for you are extremely strong.
This here is the only thing I know
Loving you is the one thing I'm certain about.
It ain't right and it ain't wrong
It cannot be judged as good or bad.
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
It's just about listening to rustic music.
To hear a cowboy sing an old time song
To listen to an old-fashioned cowboy melody.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ARLO GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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