Grammy winner and 7 time Grammy nominee Paula Cole has released six solo albums spanning an eighteen year career. She has sold approximately three million albums and has performed with icons in many genres of music from Peter Gabriel to Dolly Parton (and many more.) Coleโs emotionally deep and thrilling performances are a trademark. Poetic and fiercely touching, intelligent writing makes Cole stand apart. Her compositions have been covered by Herbie Hancock, Annie Lennox, Katherine McPhee to name a few. From a small town in Massachusetts Paula Cole was raised in a musical family with whom she and her daughter remain close. Cole is a scholarship alumna from Berklee College of Music with a background in jazz, received her first record deal with a jazz label (which she declined), and has collaborated with many jazz artists. Paula teaches and gives clinics in a spirit of giving back to the circle of music. With a loving allegiance to her fans, she maintains loyal communication online and after her live shows. As the first woman in history to solely produce and receive the best Producer Grammy nomination for her work, โThis Fireโ, Cole has broken boundaries with a searcherโs spirit. From her top ten hits of the 1990โs to her more recent critically acclaimed albums, Paula Cole continues to write, produce, record and perform heartfelt, meaningful, lasting music that defies categorization.
Where Have All the Cowboys Gone
Paula Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why don't we go sit down in the shade
Take shelter on my front porch
The dandy lion sun scorching
Like a glass of cold lemonade
I will do the laundry
If you pay all the bills
Where is my prairie song
Where is my happy ending
Where have all the cowboys gone
Why don't you stay the evening
Kick back and watch the TV
And I'll fix a little something to eat
Oh I know your back hurts from working on the tractor
How do you take your coffee my sweet
I will raise the children
If you pay all the bills
Where is my John Wayne
Where is my prairie song
Where is my happy ending
Where have all the cowboys gone
I am wearing my new dress tonight
But you don't, but you don't even notice me
Say goodbyes
Say goodbyes
Say goodbyes
We finally sell the Chevy
When we had another baby
And you took the job in Tennessee
You made friends at the farm
And you joined them at the bar
Almost every single day of the week
I will wash the dishes
While you go have a beer
Where is my John Wayne
Where is my prairie song
Where is my happy ending
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where is my Marlboro man
Where is his shiny gun
Where is my lonely ranger
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where have all the cowboys gone
Where have all the cowboys gone
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
In Paula Cole's "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone," the singer is a housewife who longs for the traditional male role models seen in the cowboy Western genre. She asks "Where is my John Wayne? Where is my prairie song? Where is my happy ending?" in search of a strong, independent, and romantic cowboy figure to sweep her off her feet. She paints a picture of domesticity, offering to do housework and raise children if her partner pays the bills. The repetition of this sentence suggests the singer's desperation for someone to take on the provider's traditional role in the household. However, this longing for a savior is juxtaposed with the reality of her partner's neglect, as he does not even notice her when she dresses up in a new dress.
Throughout the song, the singer highlights the mundane responsibilities of her life, such as laundry, dishes, and cooking, while contrasting them with her dreams of passion and adventure. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the singer's sadness and frustration as she wonders where all the cowboy heroes have gone. The final verse suggests that the singer's partner has become seduced by rural life, spending time with friends on the farm or at the bar. She is left to do the housework once again, and her repeated question "Where have all the cowboys gone?" laments the loss of the passionate, romantic ideal she longs for.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh you get me ready in your 56 Chevy
You set the mood just right in your classic car
Why don't we go sit down in the shade
Let's take a break from the heat and relax for a while
Take shelter on my front porch
Let's find refuge from the sun in my home
The dandy lion sun scorching
The sun is blazing hot like a fierce lion
Like a glass of cold lemonade
Let's cool down with some refreshing lemonade
I will do the laundry
I'll take care of the household chores
If you pay all the bills
As long as you handle the financial responsibilities
Where is my John Wayne
Who will be my hero like the iconic cowboy actor
Where is my prairie song
Where has the music of the open fields gone
Where is my happy ending
When will I experience the fairy-tale conclusion I long for
Where have all the cowboys gone
Why is it so hard to find a strong, reliable man like a cowboy
Why don't you stay the evening
Can't you stick around a while longer
Kick back and watch the TV
Let's relax and watch some shows on the television
And I'll fix a little something to eat
I'll whip up a small meal for us to enjoy
Oh I know your back hurts from working on the tractor
I empathize with the physical pain you're experiencing from manual labor
How do you take your coffee my sweet
I want to take care of you, how do you like your coffee
I will raise the children
I will take care of our kids
If you pay all the bills
As long as you handle the financial responsibilities
I am wearing my new dress tonight
I'm dressing up and looking good for you
But you don't, but you don't even notice me
I feel like you're not paying attention to me
Say goodbyes
Let's bring this relationship to a close
Say goodbyes
It's time to say farewell
Say goodbyes
Let's part ways
We finally sell the Chevy
We let go of our trusty car
When we had another baby
After having another child
And you took the job in Tennessee
You accepted a job in a different state
You made friends at the farm
You developed friendships at your place of work
And you joined them at the bar
You socialized with your friends at the local watering hole
Almost every single day of the week
This became a regular occurrence
I will wash the dishes
I'll take care of the cleaning
While you go have a beer
You can go enjoy a drink while I do the chores
Where is my Marlboro man
Who will be my strong, rugged lover
Where is his shiny gun
Where is the symbol of his masculinity and power
Where is my lonely ranger
Where is the man who will adventure with me through life
Where have all the cowboys gone
Why is it so hard to find a strong, reliable man like a cowboy
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Yippee yo, yippee yeah
A fun, playful exclamation
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: PAULA COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@fahs
Lets just build a giant walled city, go back to the 90's and forget the millennium ever happened. Who is with me?
@ZACohea
You can always go to Des Moines, Iowa since everything there is still like 1996.
@fahs
@@ZACohea LOL... I lived half my life in Iowa. I will go in with a different perspective
@fahs
@@ZACohea I think I remember that episode. Been awhile tho. You had a great reference that totally went over my head. Well played sir.
@b.r.holmes6365
Columbine happened in the 90s.
@dkmzoneglobal-1472
Definitely...
@azzyflya2355
I love the frustration that emanates from how she says beer. Itโs immaculate.
@tenderpawsm473
I thought she was madly in love with this guy. At least that was true initially. What went wrong? Was she too demanding, or did the guy turn out to be a lowlife?
@azzyflya2355
@@tenderpawsm473 they both misunderstood how much she would enjoy her life. He goes out gets out of the house leaving her in situations where she never had a day to herself(for the most part). Is her bitterness shining through, maybe shining isnโt the best descriptor of bitterness
@tenderpawsm473
I guess being a housewife was harder than she anticipated. ๐