Brooks & Dunn's music covers the full range of modern country music, and their chart-topping hits have included everything from the Ronan Keating-penned ballad "The Long Goodbye," through the Rivers Rutherford-written "Ain't Nothing About You," to the gospel music-influenced "Believe." They are also associated with being pioneers of the line dance craze of the mid-1990s. One of their hits, "Boot Scootin' Boogie" - the video for which was made in Tulsa, Oklahoma - is most emblematic of this style.
Both band members write, sing, and play guitar. One or both artists writes or co-writes a large majority of their material, and self-penned successes include the 2004 smash "Red Dirt Road" which the duo wrote together. Both artists have served as song-writers for other artists too. Ronnie Dunn co-wrote country superstar Toby Keith's song "Don't Leave I Think I Love You" which appeared on his 2003 album Shock'n Y'all. Dunn's vocal performances have tended to be released as radio singles: recent hits "You Can't Take the Honkytonk Out of The Girl," "Red Dirt Road," "It's Getting Better All The Time," "That's What It's All About," "Play Something Country," and "Believe" all feature Ronnie Dunn singing lead vocals.
Brooks & Dunn are renowned for their high-energy stage shows. Recent tours have featured Australian country singer Keith Urban, fellow duo Montgomery Gentry, and successful country newcomer Gretchen Wilson. Their latest Deuces Wild tour of 2005 featured fellow country duo Big and Rich. In 2006, the duo opened for the Rolling Stones at their Omaha, Nebraska show.
The duo's songs have been used by President George W Bush as his official campaign songs in both his election and re-election campaigns. In 2000, the then Texas Governor chose the blue-collar line-dance-friending hit of the mid-1990s, "Hard Workin' Man," and in 2004, the President selected the (pre-9/11) hit patriotic "Only in America." Brooks & Dunn both supported the President's re-election campaign, performing at a Republican rally featuring Laura Bush on the eve of the election.
Their latest album is Hillbilly Deluxe which features the number 1 single "Play Something Country."
On August 10, 2009, the duo issued a statement on their website announcing that they were splitting up after 20 years of making music together. The split was amicable, with a final album in September 2009 and a final tour in 2010.
On December 3, 2014, it was announced that Brooks & Dunn will reunite and perform a series of concerts in Las Vegas, Nevada with Reba McEntire throughout mid-late 2015. In 2016, they were selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track featuring the artists performing a medley of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You", which was released in celebration of 50 years of the CMA Awards.
Good Cowboy
Brooks & Dunn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm goin' out on an afternoon vacation
They all know where I'm gonna go
The sun is shining down and
There is no one else around now
Wish you were here to hear me say
This is gonna be my greatest day
[Chorus:]
How far would I go
How long would I stay
To see it all
To carry it all back with me again
How hard would I try
Just to hear everybody say
This is gonna be my greatest day
Standing here, looking out on the world
And for a second nobody is looking back at me
I never even notice where they go
The sun is shining down and
There is no one else around now
Wish you were here to hear me say
This is gonna be my greatest day
[Chorus:]
The lyrics of Brooks & Dunn's song "Good Cowboy" capture the exhilarating feeling of escape and freedom that comes from getting away from it all. The first verse describes the excitement of heading out on a spur-of-the-moment trip, with the singer acknowledging that everyone knows where he's headed. The second verse is a reflection on the feeling of being alone and disconnected from the rest of the world, with the singer acknowledging that he never even notices the people around him until he's in a moment like this. Through it all, the sun shines down as a symbol of hope and possibility, and the singer wishes that someone was there to share in his excitement.
The chorus of the song is an anthem to the idea of living life to the fullest and chasing after your dreams, no matter how difficult or far away they may seem. How far would the singer go? How long would he stay? He would do whatever it takes to see the world and bring it all back with him again. The goal is to create a moment that is truly unforgettable, to hear everybody say that this is going to be his greatest day. In this way, "Good Cowboy" is a song about the freedom that comes from being able to make your own choices and follow your own passions, no matter how unusual or difficult they may be.
Overall, "Good Cowboy" is a song that captures the feeling of adventure and excitement that comes from living life on your own terms. Whether you're hitting the open road or chasing after some other dream, this song reminds us that the greatest joys in life come from following our hearts and making the most of every moment.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got the keys to the car
I am in possession of the car keys
I'm goin' out on an afternoon vacation
I am taking some time off in the afternoon
They all know where I'm gonna go
Everyone is aware of my destination
The sun is shining down and
The weather is good and sunny
There is no one else around now
The surroundings are empty and deserted
Wish you were here to hear me say
I wish you were here to witness my experience
This is gonna be my greatest day
This will be an extremely enjoyable day for me
[Chorus:] How far would I go
How much effort am I willing to put in
How long would I stay
How much time am I willing to devote
To see it all
To experience everything
To carry it all back with me again
To bring back all the memories with me
How hard would I try
How much effort am I willing to exert
Just to hear everybody say
Just to receive praise and recognition
This is gonna be my greatest day
This will be a day of great pleasure and satisfaction
Standing here, looking out on the world
I am here, observing the world around me
And for a second nobody is looking back at me
For a brief moment, I am unnoticed
I never even notice where they go
I don't pay attention to where others are headed
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JIMMIE LAWRENCE VAUGHAN, NILE GREGORY RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind