Dave Dudley is best-known for his trucker songs including "Six Days on the Road" and "Truck Drivin' Son-of-a-Gun". His duet with Tom T. Hall called "Day Drinking" demonstrated that he was not limited to trucking songs. He is one of the best-known singers of the truck-driving era in country music and was one of the icons in this category.
Dave was born in 1928 in Spencer, Wisconsin. He had a short career as a semi-professional baseball player. After he suffered an arm injury he was no longer able to play baseball. He then decided to pursue a career in country music. He was one of the earliest artists to record for National Recording Corporation on the NRC label.
He first appeared on the Country charts in 1961 with the song "Maybe I Do," released by Vee Records. He later moved to Golden Wing Records. Two years later, in 1963, the label released the single "Six Days on the Road". In 1963, Dudley moved on to Mercury records. Dave Dudley continued to have success into the 1970s. He continued to record for Mercury Records.
In the 1980s, Dave Dudley continued to record, but not as much as he once had. He remained popular in concert. In total, Dudley recorded more than 70 albums. However, he did not manage to reclaim his past success, and neither his single "Where's that Truck?", recorded with DJ Charlie Douglas, nor the track "Dave Dudley, American Trucker", recorded in 2002 in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, helped revive his career.
Dudley died on December 22, 2003 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Wisconsin.
Cowboy Boots
Dave Dudley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sixteen years of my life I gave to get a pair of cowboy boots
I wanna go where the money's free Hollywood is a callin' me
Oh what a great big star I'll be in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna get on a TV show in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna ride in a rodeo in a pair of cowboy boots
Well, I wanna go where the family lurk, I wanna get a job and go to work
Oh give me a home
Where the swimmin' pools roam
Where the money grows on trees
And the gals all wanna be squeezed
I'm a gonna get there if I have to crawl in a pair of cowboy boots
Get in the movies and that ain't all in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna get me a leather vest a gun on my hip and a star on my chest
I'll be the terror of the Golden West in a pair of cowboy boots
Oh give me a home
Where the swimmin' pools roam
Where the money grows on trees
And the gals all wanna be squeezed
I'm a gonna get there if I have to crawl in a pair of cowboy boots
Get in the movies and that ain't all in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna get me a leather vest a gun on my hip and a star on my chest
I'll be the terror of the Golden West in a pair of cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
The lyrics of Dave Dudley's song "Cowboy Boots" express a young man's aspirations to achieve the American dream through the acquisition of a simple pair of cowboy boots. He has spent most of his life saving up for them, believing that they will be the key to unlocking the doors of Hollywood, rodeo, and fame. The singer seems to view these boots as the ultimate symbol of rugged individuality and iconic masculinity, with the line "I'm gonna get me a leather vest a gun on my hip and a star on my chest, I'll be the terror of the Golden West in a pair of cowboy boots" encapsulating this idea perfectly.
The song is also infused with a certain level of humor and irony, as the singer's pursuit of his dream is shown to be somewhat misguided and unrealistic. The chorus, "Oh give me a home where the swimmin' pools roam, where the money grows on trees and the gals all wanna be squeezed" mocks the superficiality of modern American culture, showing that the singer's obsession with cowboy boots is just one facet of a larger societal trend towards materialism and image-consciousness. Overall, "Cowboy Boots" is a commentary on the American dream, and how it can be both aspirational and destructive.
Line by Line Meaning
Well all of my life I been a tryin' to save to get a pair of cowboy boots
I have always dreamt of owning a pair of cowboy boots and I have been saving for it all my life
Sixteen years of my life I gave to get a pair of cowboy boots
I have spent sixteen years of my life working hard to earn enough money to buy myself a pair of cowboy boots
I wanna go where the money's free Hollywood is a callin' me
I want to move to Hollywood, where opportunities are plentiful and the money flows freely
Oh what a great big star I'll be in a pair of cowboy boots
I believe that owning and wearing a pair of cowboy boots will help me become a famous star in Hollywood
I'm gonna get on a TV show in a pair of cowboy boots
I plan to appear on a television show while wearing my coveted cowboy boots
I'm gonna ride in a rodeo in a pair of cowboy boots
I will ride in a rodeo wearing my precious boots
Well, I wanna go where the family lurk, I wanna get a job and go to work
I desire to move to an area where my family is located and work for a living
Givin' lessons to that Stony Burk in a pair of cowboy boots
I plan to give lessons to someone named Stony Burk, all while wearing my beloved cowboy boots
Oh give me a home
Where the swimmin' pools roam
Where the money grows on trees
And the gals all wanna be squeezed
I want to live in a place where there are luxurious swimming pools, money is abundant, and women want to be with me
I'm a gonna get there if I have to crawl in a pair of cowboy boots
I am determined to reach my dream of living in a wealthy area, even if it means struggling and sacrificing just to keep my cowboy boots
Get in the movies and that ain't all in a pair of cowboy boots
I will not only appear on a TV show, but I also want to act in movies, with my cowboy boots always on display
I'm gonna get me a leather vest a gun on my hip and a star on my chest
I'll be the terror of the Golden West in a pair of cowboy boots
I plan to complete my cowboy outfit with a leather vest, gun, and sheriff badge, becoming a feared figure in the western part of the country while wearing my cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
My cowboy boots are my ultimate goal and symbolize my dream of achieving fame and fortune
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Thomas Baker Knight
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Logan Goodrich
Well all of my life I been a tryin' to save to get a pair of cowboy boots
Sixteen years of my life I gave to get a pair of cowboy boots
I wanna go where the money's free Hollywood is a callin' me
Oh what a great big star I'll be in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna get on a TV show in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna ride in a rodeo in a pair of cowboy boots
I wanna go where the family lurk I'm gonna get a job and go to work
Givin' lessons to that Stony Burk in a pair of cowboy boots
Oh give me a home
Where the swimmin' pools roam
Where the money grows on trees
The gals all wanna be squeezed
Well I'm a gonna get there if I have to crawl in a pair of cowboy boots
Get in the movies and that ain't all in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna get me a leather vest a gun on my hip and a star on my chest
Well I'll be the terror of the Golden West in a pair of cowboy boots
Oh give me a home
Where the swimmin' pools roam
Where the money grows on trees
The gals all wanna be squeezed
Well I'm a gonna get there if I have to crawl in a pair of cowboy boots
Get in the movies and that ain't all in a pair of cowboy boots
I'm gonna get me a leather vest a gun on my hip and a star on my chest
Well I'll be the terror of the Golden West in a pair of cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
In a pair of cowboy boots
Kelton King
Dave took this to #3 in 1963 in His Cowboy Boots.
Eduardo Massey
how can be so Good?? amaizing song, amaizing voice, every song of this man, live for ever dave dudley
Frances Selman
Saw Dave twice in my 70 years! Once at the Palomino nightclub featured in the movie every which way but loose (Clint Eastwood) and the other at Knott's Berry Farm in 1972. Thought the world of this man! Hope to visit his grave in his native Wisconsin someday! Wonderful singer and a great guy.
russell campbell
The parody of the opening line of "Home on the Range" is a stroke of comic genius.
Eduardo Massey
incredible song,thanks mr. dudley god bless you and live for ever, from Argentina with love
Brady Kennedy
I play this song all the time in my 1963 c2 corvette !
Dingo
Remember this from driving to school in the mid 70's 😊 great memories!
Ree Jones
I love this one!
fl366
I love it too!
monkeeman1966
Yep, great. In fact I love his stuff. Not all, but at least 40 tunes! Good post!