The Lady Takes The Cowboy Everytime
Gatlin Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He thinks he'll be the one to walk her to his room
But for all of his schemin', he's only dreamin'
He might as well be gone
Because she's got her eyes on the dance floor
She's made up her mind
And the lady takes the cowboy every time
'Cause she's just dyin' to do the Texas 2-step
And she just can't wait to strut her stuff
Dancin' to the 'Cotton Eyed Joe'
So she'll come dancin' till the band stops playin'
At 2 in the mornin'
And still have time for one beer before she goes
Off with her 2-steppin' cowboy
She'll have time for one beer before they go
Tall and handsome
He thinks he'll probably land somewhere in her arms tonight
Well, he thinks he's cool but she thinks he's a fool
He might as well turn and go
Because she's got her eyes on the dance floor
She's made up her mind
And the lady takes the cowboy every time
'Cause she's just dyin' to do the Texas 2-step
And she just can't wait to strut her stuff
Dancin' to the 'Cotton Eyed Joe'
So she'll come dancin' till the band stops playin'
At 2 in the mornin'
And still have time for one beer before she goes
Off with her 2-steppin' cowboy
She'll have time for one beer before she goes
The song captures the scene of a cowboy and a smooth talker trying to impress a lady at a dance. The smooth talker believes he has all the right moves, but the lady has her eyes set on the dance floor. She's determined to dance the night away and specifically, do the Texas 2-step. She's not interested in the smooth talker's advances, and he might as well leave as he's wasting his time. The lady has made up her mind, and she'll choose the cowboy who can two-step alongside her.
The second verse paints a similar picture, but this time, it's a tall and handsome gentleman trying to win over the lady's heart. However, like the smooth talker before him, he's out of luck as the lady has her priorities straight. She's not interested in his charm; she wants to have a good time dancing. The lady takes control in this song, with the repeated line "the lady takes the cowboy every time," emphasizing her dominance in choosing the right dance partner.
The overall message of the song is that no matter how smooth-talking or handsome you are, if you can't two-step, you won't catch the lady's heart. The song is a tribute to the traditional country western culture of dancing and how it still thrives today. The line dance Cotton Eyed Joe is referenced throughout the song, highlighting its importance in country western dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Smooth talker
The man thinks he can charm his way into the woman's room
He thinks he'll be the one to walk her to his room
The man is confident he can convince the woman to go to his room with him
But for all of his schemin', he's only dreamin'
Despite his efforts to woo her, he doesn't stand a chance with the woman
He might as well be gone
His advances are futile; he should just give up
Because she's got her eyes on the dance floor
The woman's attention is focused on the dance floor, not on the man
She's made up her mind
The woman has already decided that she wants to dance with a cowboy
And the lady takes the cowboy every time
The woman will always choose a cowboy over a smooth-talking man
'Cause she's just dyin' to do the Texas 2-step
The woman is eager to dance the Texas 2-step
And she just can't wait to strut her stuff
The woman is excited to show off her dance moves
Dancin' to the 'Cotton Eyed Joe'
The woman loves dancing to the song 'Cotton Eyed Joe'
So she'll come dancin' till the band stops playin'
The woman will keep dancing until the band stops playing
At 2 in the mornin'
The woman will dance late into the night
And still have time for one beer before she goes
After dancing, the woman will have time for only one beer before leaving
Off with her 2-steppin' cowboy
The woman will leave with a cowboy she has been dancing with
She'll have time for one beer before she goes
The woman will quickly have a beer before leaving with her cowboy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LARRY GATLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Chipper6811
Their harmony is perfect
@joanbodine1402
Love it ❤
@t4texastomjohnnycat978
Larry is an AWESOME fingerpicking guitarist.
@jefftappan381
Three-part harmony, the likes of which only the Gatlins can provide. And, that pedal steel is a killer.
@joanbodine1402
Love this clip ❤
@DaveWollenberg
HIt #3 in Billboard, 10-20-84. God bless y'all, Gatlins!
@kjtraylor1833
I miss real country music so much.
@amishsniper4267
They were still performing in Branson, Missouri the last I knew. Love their music. Thanks for posting.
@mrbassv
They were in Frederick, MD 3/31/19. Killed it!
@rickhawk556
Larry Gatlin American eye icon sure put the good songs out there for all of us to enjoy