Harry Gregson-Williams (born 13 December 1961) is an English composer, orch… Read Full Bio ↴Harry Gregson-Williams (born 13 December 1961) is an English composer, orchestrator, conductor, and music producer. He has regularly written for video games, television and films, such as the Metal Gear series, Spy Game, Phone Booth, Man on Fire, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Déjà Vu, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Martian, and the Shrek franchise. He is the older brother of composer Rupert Gregson-Williams.

Gregson-Williams won a musical scholarship to St John's College School, Cambridge at the age of seven, where he was a child chorister, and later attended Stowe School, a boarding independent school in the civil parish of Stowe in Buckinghamshire, where he was a music scholar, followed by the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

The Call
Harry Gregson-Williams Lyrics

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The cattle are prowlin'
The coyotes are howlin'
Way out where the doggies roam.
Where spurs are a jinglin'
And the cowboy is singin'
His lonesome cattle call.

He rides in the sun,

'Til his days work is done.
And rounds up the cattle each fall.
Singin' his cattle call.

For hours he would ride.
On the range far and wide.
When the night wind blows up and slow.
His heart is a feather.

In all kinds of weather.
He sings his cattle call.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Harry Gregson-Williams's song The Call paint a vivid picture of a lonesome cowboy wandering the vast stretches of the open plains, their typical cattle call ringing in the light breeze. The first stanza mentions the cattle prowling and the melancholic howls of coyotes resonating in the background. The second stanza goes to give us an insight into the cowboy's rugged life, where they spend hours on horseback, tracking and herding cattle on the range during the day, and seeking solace in song at night.

The third and fourth stanzas serve to colour the cowboy's personality further, illustrating their resilience in the face of harsh weather conditions by his comparison to a feather, while also exhibiting their commitment and dedication to their work. The song talks of the cowboy's unwavering spirit, a stoic individual, who would ride for hours in the range alone, singing their cattle call, bringing attention to their herd, and marking the end of the day's work.

Line by Line Meaning

The cattle are prowlin'
The cows are wandering around.

The coyotes are howlin'
The wild dogs are making a loud sound.

Way out where the doggies roam.
Far away, where the small cows play around.

Where spurs are a jinglin'
When the metal on his boots makes noise.

And the cowboy is singin'
And the man riding horses is singing a tune.

His lonesome cattle call.
His sad song about bringing the cows together.

He rides in the sun,
He rides his horse during the daytime,

'Til his days work is done.
Until he's done with his daily work.

And rounds up the cattle each fall.
He brings all the cows together in Autumn.

Singin' his cattle call.
Singing the same song as he does this.

For hours he would ride.
He would travel long distances.