Starting his career on the Television show Designing Women, Engvall hit his acclaimed first "big break" when he went on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and from there won the American Comedy Awards Comic of the Year, landing then on the television show Delta Burke, which lasted for one year, and from then on producing his albums. Before becoming a well-known comedian, Engvall joined the popular talent show Star Search.
Engvall's career toiled in relative obscurity for several years, hitting a low point while starring as CHUD #14 in the cult film C.H.U.D, until he turned his most famous routine, "Here's Your Sign," into a song by country music star Travis Tritt. The song was a hit, catapulting Engvall to comedic stardom. More recently, he recorded a Comedy Central special and starred with fellow comedians Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, and Ron White in the hit redneck-themed stand-up movie Blue Collar Comedy Tour (as well as its sequels and spin-off TV show). The Blue Collar group has been called the redneck Rat Pack. Foxworthy is both the leader and most famous of the group, like the Rat Pack's Frank Sinatra. Engvall equates to Dean Martin, since he is the best friend of the leader, and is arguably the second-most famous member of the group.
He is married to his wife Gail since 1982 and has a daughter named Emily, a junior at the University of Puget Sound, as well as a son named Travis.
I'm a Cowboy
Bill Engvall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I′m a cowboy
Yes i am
And last summer
On my fortieth birthday
I deserved the biggest stupid sign
You could ever give an individual
I decided on my
Fortieth birthday
I was gonna become
A rough stock
Bareback rider
In the rodeo
Not a good age
To start this little hobby
Guess i better tell the wife
Pumpkin
You ain't gonna believe this
I′m going to bareback
Riding school and she goes
Are you stupid
Ha ha i guess
But i am a cowboy
I'm a cowboy
Yes i am
Make no mistake about it
I'm a rodeo man
I ain′t never been afraid
To take the bull by the horns
I′ve been a cowboy since the day
I was born
I'm a cowboy
Yes i am
I get to the arena
The horse is in the chute
But it′s not even a buckin' horse ya′ll
It's a trainer
The horse still has
A halter with a lead rope on it
Alright
But i get behind the chutes
And my coach starts callin′ me
Cowboy which is psyching me up
I mean if he'd just
Call me bill
I'd have like
Hey let′s just
Blow this off
But i get behind
The chutes
And he goes
I knew you′d show up
Cause you're
A cowboy
I believe you′re a cowboy
Hey are you a cowboy
I said yes i am a cowboy
I'm a cowboy
Yes i am
Make no mistake about it
I′m a rodeo man
Living for a minute
When they pull that gate
Countin' every second down
And prayin′ for eight
I'm a cowboy yes i am
My coach goes
Alright cowboy
When you're ready
You dip that hat
And we′re gonna
Let him go
I said sss let′s go
They slammed
The gate open
And lead the horse out
By the rope
Like you would do with your kids
But i'm spurring this horse like i′m at
The national finals rodeo man
I'm just woah
Woah oh oh
And my coach is
Screaming
You got him cowboy
You got him
I said you dang right i got him
I am a cowboy
′Bout that time
I hear my coach go get him hank
Hank is my
Coaches dog
Who's only job
Is to make this horse mad
Hank jumps up and bites this horse on the butt
And this horse freaked
He did this lunge buck
And i′m airborne
I'm a cowboy yes i am
Make no mistake about it
I'm a rodeo man
I ain′t never been afraid to take
The bull by the horns
I′ve been a cowboy
Since the day i was born
I'm a cowboy
Yes i am
And my coach goes
Well bill
I said oh now it′s bill
He said you wanna ride that horse again
I said no
But i got to know one thing
Did that horse buck
He goes yeah why
And i go
Cause i am a cowboy
I'm a cowboy
Yes i am
The song "I'm a Cowboy" sung by Bill Engvall, tells the story of a man who decides to take up a new hobby on his fortieth birthday, rough stock bareback riding in the rodeo. He describes his initial hesitation and then determination in pursuing his dream. He talks about how his coach's motivation and the cheering of the crowd pumped him up. Then he explains how his coach's dog, whose only job is to make the horse mad, bites the horse, and the horse freaks out, and the man goes airborne. But the man continues to vocally assert that he is a cowboy and has been one since he was born.
The song, "I'm a Cowboy," serves as a reminiscence of childhood dreams and one's aspiration to follow them as an adult. The lyrics emphasize the idea of never being too old to pursue your dreams, no matter how foolish they appear to be to others. The song also uses descriptive language regarding cowboy life, including the use of horse riding as a metaphor for life itself. The song could be interpreted as an inspiration to not let age hold you back when trying something new.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a cowboy
I identify as a cowboy
Yes i am
This is a fact that I am certain of
And last summer
Referring to a specific time in the past
On my fortieth birthday
It was a milestone birthday
I deserved the biggest stupid sign
I wanted everyone to know
You could ever give an individual
It was a big personal accomplishment
I decided on my
I made a choice
Fortieth birthday
My age at the time when I decided something
I was gonna become
My goal or aspiration
A rough stock
A category of rodeo events
Bareback rider
A specific type of rough stock event
In the rodeo
The venue where these events are held
Not a good age
My age was not ideal for this activity
To start this little hobby
It was a new interest for me
Guess i better tell the wife
I should inform my spouse of my plans
Pumpkin
A term of endearment
You ain't gonna believe this
I have surprising news for you
I′m going to bareback
My planned activity
Riding school and she goes
Response from my spouse
Are you stupid
Questioning my sanity
Ha ha i guess
I can see why she would say that
But i am a cowboy
Reiteration of my identity
Make no mistake about it
It's a certainty
I'm a rodeo man
Another aspect of my identity related to rodeo events
I ain′t never been afraid
I have no fear
To take the bull by the horns
I am not hesitant to face challenges
I′ve been a cowboy since the day
My identity relates to the past
I was born
It started at birth
I get to the arena
Narrating the events
The horse is in the chute
The location of the horse
But it′s not even a buckin' horse ya′ll
The horse is not ideal for the event
It's a trainer
The nature of the horse being present
The horse still has
Additional information about the horse
A halter with a lead rope on it
Description of the horse's equipment
Alright
An expression of readiness
But i get behind the chutes
Narrating the events
And my coach starts callin′ me
Interaction with the coach
Cowboy which is psyching me up
Emotional effect of being called cowboy
I mean if he'd just
Thoughts on the coach's behavior
Call me bill
Using my name instead of 'cowboy'
I'd have like
My response if he did that
Hey let′s just
Suggestion on how to avoid the situation
Blow this off
To abandon the plan
I knew you′d show up
The coach's statement
Cause you're a cowboy
Explanation for knowing I would show up
Hey are you a cowboy
Verification of my identity
I said yes i am a cowboy
Confirming my identity again
Living for a minute
My perspective during an experience
When they pull that gate
Describing the event proceeding
Countin' every second down
Mentally keeping track of the time
And prayin′ for eight
Hoping for a positive outcome
My coach goes
Narrating a conversation
Alright cowboy
Addressing me
When you're ready
My cue to start
You dip that hat
A deliberate action to begin
And we′re gonna let him go
The instruction for what is going to happen
I said sss let′s go
Vocalizing my excitement
They slammed the gate open
Describing the event proceeding
And lead the horse out
Action regarding the horse
By the rope
The method the horse was being moved
Like you would do with your kids
Comparing to a similar human scenario
But i'm spurring this horse
My actions while riding the horse
Like i′m at the national finals rodeo man
Comparing my skills to professionals
I'm just woah
My reaction mid-action
And my coach is screaming
The coach's reaction
You got him cowboy
Verbal feedback on my performance
I said you dang right i got him
Response to the coach
′Bout that time
Narrating the story's progression
I hear my coach go get him hank
Describing order of events
Hank is my coaches dog
Additional information from coach
Who's only job is to make this horse mad
Detailed information about the dog's role
Hank jumps up and bites this horse on the butt
Describing the dog's action
And this horse freaked
The horse's reaction to the dog
He did this lunge buck
Describing the horse's action
And i′m airborne
Narrating my physical state
No mistake about it
Reiteration of my cowboy identity
Writer(s): Aaron Barker, William Engvall, Bill Engvall
Contributed by Violet L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.