All I Want
Glen Phillips and Nickel Creek Lyrics
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I want to learn to rope and to ride
I want to ride o'er the plains and the deserts
Out west of that great divide
I want to hear the coyotes howlin'
While the sun sinks in the West
I want to be a cowboy's sweetheart
That's the life I love the best
(Yodeling)
I want to ride Old Paint goin' at a run
I want to feel the wind in my face
A thousand miles from all the city lights
Goin' a cowhand's pace
I want to pillow my head near the sleeping herd
While the moon shines down from above
I want to strum my guitar and yodelay-hee-hoo
Oh that's the life that I love
(Yodeling)
I want to be a cowboy's sweetheart
I want to learn to rope and to ride
I want to ride o'er the plains and the deserts
Out west of that great divide
I want to hear the coyotes howlin'
While the sun sinks in the West
I want to be a cowboy's sweetheart
That's the life I love the best
(Yodeling)
The song "All I Want" by Glen Phillips and Nickel Creek is a tribute to the cowboy lifestyle. The lyrics depict a yearning for the freedom and adventure of living on the range, riding horses, and herding cattle. The singer speaks of her desire to be a "cowboy's sweetheart," learning to rope and ride while traversing the vast landscape of the western United States. The coyotes howling in the distance and the moon shining down on a sleeping herd paint a picture of a simple and fulfilling life, far from the noise and lights of the city.
Beyond its celebration of the cowboy culture, "All I Want" speaks to a universal human longing for connection with something wild and untamed. The singer's desire to feel the wind in her face and to hear the coyotes howling represents an urge to escape the constraints of civilization and to reconnect with the natural world. This theme is further emphasized by the use of yodeling, a traditional vocal style associated with rural, mountainous regions. Through its celebration of the cowboy lifestyle and its adherence to traditional musical forms, "All I Want" speaks to a nostalgia for a simpler, more authentic way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to be a cowboy's sweetheart
I desire to take up the challenging lifestyle of a cowboy.
I want to learn to rope and to ride
I want to master the art of horseback riding and cattle herding.
I want to ride o'er the plains and the deserts
I aim to venture across the vast plains and arid deserts.
Out west of that great divide
I aspire to explore the lands beyond the great western divide.
I want to hear the coyotes howlin'
I yearn to experience the natural environment and its wildlife.
While the sun sinks in the West
As the sun sets below the horizon, I want to be out in the great outdoors.
I want to be a cowboy's sweetheart
I am drawn to the lifestyle of a cowboy and want to embrace it.
That's the life I love the best
I am convinced that living the life of a cowboy is the most fulfilling for me.
I want to ride Old Paint goin' at a run
I desire to ride a horse named Old Paint at high speed.
I want to feel the wind in my face
I long to experience the natural elements while riding on horseback.
A thousand miles from all the city lights
I yearn to escape the hustle-bustle of city life and disconnect from its distractions.
Goin' a cowhand's pace
I wish to travel at the speed of a hired laborer who herds cattle.
I want to pillow my head near the sleeping herd
I want to rest my head close to the herd of cattle that I am guiding.
While the moon shines down from above
I want to immerse myself in the moonlit natural surroundings.
I want to strum my guitar and yodelay-hee-hoo
I yearn to play music and to sing in a traditional cowboy style.
Oh that's the life that I love
Living the life of a cowboy is what I enjoy the most.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The WAB
My wife and I had the privilege of attending a Toad the Wet Sprocket concert in Boston last month and it was easily the best one I've ever been a part of. They gave the option to purchase VIP seats which, of course, I simply HAD to because TTWS is easily one of my all-time favorite bands.
For that price, we met the band, exchanged brief pleasantries, took a pic, and were then ushered to a section of the theater around the middle of the floor. There was a railing so we sat there. Turns out that was an excellent choice on our part because the band members (Glen, Dean, and Todd) came down and stood legit right in front of us with only about three feet of separation between us and them.
We were so close that we felt like we were invading their personal space, even though they came to us. lol
They, of course, thanked us for coming, thanked us for our support, etc., then Glen Phillips is like, "Alright, let's see if we can entertain you for a bit." They bust out with intimate, acoustic versions of "Nanci," then "Fall Down." Kinda felt like I was at a MTV Unplugged taping or something. It was surreal. They capped off with "All I Want" and what was funny was that close to the end of the song, there's that bass part and Dean Dinning, the bassist, had only a bead shaker thingy in his hand, so I was thinking, "Well, I guess he won't be able to do the bass riffs that are coming up."
All of a sudden, Dean whips out a kazoo and starts hitting the bass notes.
A kazoo.
Needless to say, he got some laughs and some appreciative applause from us for that stunt. Such a great, great, GREAT start… and they still had another hour before they were set to take the stage to put on the ACTUAL concert.
J M
Glen is a really underrated guitarist. Even belting out those awesome lyrics, he never misses a note. Did an amazing job of transposing both his and Todd's parts into a great solo composition.
Z
Lol. Never misses a note? He's known for missing notes. Even has a name for it when he does 🌰🐿 on his weekly Facebook and YouTube mini-concerts. And we love him for it.
Jami Jo Reid
He can miss a note his point is clear
ZYX74
Glenn has the gift of being consistently amazing
John Smith
Glen's music, with and without the rest of Toad, has been a gigantic part of my musical life. His lyrics and music have always touched something important in me. I lived in Santa Barbara many years ago, managing a bakery. Glen would show up at the bakery from time to time. Seeing him as a father, with his baby in a carrier on his chest, was really sweet. It made me want to be dad, too and set my wife and I on a path to parenthood. Thank you for all of the years of sharing your creative work with us, Glen. Can't wait to see you in Novato next month.
Bret Kindell
cool story..peace
Jami Jo Reid
❤❤
Scott
This album came out the year I turned 16, got my first car, and would drive endlessly with it playing. This song takes me back there immediately. Thank you for this amazing classic. ❤️
Z
I will never get tired of this song. 🎵🎶💜
LittleSlim78
Same here.