1) The Highwaymen was an Am… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists sharing this name;
1) The Highwaymen was an American country music supergroup, composed of four of the genre's biggest artists, known for their pioneering influence on the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. Active between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as The Highwaymen: two on Columbia Records and one for Liberty Records. Their Columbia works produced three chart singles, including the number one "Highwayman" in 1985.
Between 1996 and 1999, Nelson, Kristofferson, Cash, and Jennings also provided the voice and dramatization for the Louis L'Amour Collection, a four-CD box set of seven Louis L'Amour stories published by the HighBridge Company, although the four were not credited as "The Highwaymen" in this work.
Besides the four formal members of the group, only one other vocal recording artist appeared on a Highwaymen recording: Johnny Rodriguez, who provided Spanish vocal on "Deportee", a Woody Guthrie composition, from "Highwayman".
The four original members starred in a movie together: the 1986 film Stagecoach.
2) The Highwaymen were a collegiate folk group from the 1960s who had a significant impact on the folk scene of that time and remain famous for the song "Michael" and "Cotton Fields." Formed in 1958 while the band members were at college, the group broke up in 1964 after releasing eight albums and ten singles. They reunited in 1987, minus Chan Daniels (who died in 1975), for a concert for their 25th college reunion. Between then and 2009, the band has performed ten to twelve concerts a year. Today, two of the original five members (Steve Butts and Steve Trott) are still alive, with Dave Fisher dying on May 7, 2010, Gil Robbins (father of actor Tim Robbins) dying on April 5, 2011, and Bob Burnett dying on December 8, 2011.
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys
The Highwaymen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded levis
And each night begins a new day
If you don't understand him, an' he don't die young
He'll prob'ly just ride away
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do
Sometimes won't know how to take him
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him
Do things to make you think he's right
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
The Highwaymen's song, "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys," is an ode to cowboy culture and a cautionary tale to mothers about the hardships and sacrifices that come with that lifestyle. In the first verse, the lyrics describe cowboys as difficult to love and even harder to keep, preferring to express themselves through music rather than traditional romantic gestures like diamonds or gold. The second verse paints a picture of cowboy life, with descriptions of Lone Star belt buckles, old faded Levi's, and each night heralding a new day. The chorus pleads with mothers not to let their children pursue this lifestyle, instead encouraging them to become doctors, lawyers, or other "respectable" professions.
The next verse highlights some of the pleasures of the cowboy life, such as enjoying smokey pool rooms and clear mountain mornings, as well as the companionship of warm puppies and children. Despite this, the lyrics suggest that cowboys are often misunderstood, and even those who love them may struggle to understand or communicate with them. The verse ends by noting that while cowboys may be different, they are not necessarily wrong, and their pride can sometimes get in the way of understanding.
Overall, the song presents a complex picture of cowboy culture, acknowledging both the allure of that lifestyle and the difficulties and loneliness that come with it. The final chorus again urges mothers not to let their children become cowboys, despite these contradictions and challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold
Cowboys might not be the easiest people to be in a relationship with and they're not that easy to keep around.
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
Cowboys have a tendency to make music for their loved ones rather than give them expensive gifts.
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded levis
Cowboys have a particular style - they usually wear faded jeans and Lonestar belt buckles.
And each night begins a new day
Cowboys have a tendency to live in the moment and treat each new day like a new beginning.
If you don't understand him, an' he don't die young
If you can't understand the cowboy and he doesn't die young, he'll probably just ride away.
He'll prob'ly just ride away
The cowboy may leave if nobody really gets him.
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Mothers, don't let your kids become cowboys.
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Don't let your kids choose a life of music or truck driving.
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Encourage them to be professionals like doctors or lawyers.
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Cowboys rarely stay at home and often feel alone even when they're with someone they love.
Even with someone they love
Despite having someone to love, cowboys may still feel a sense of loneliness.
Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings
Cowboys have interests that range from smoky pool rooms to beautiful mountain mornings.
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
Cowboys love puppies, children and women working at night.
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do
People who don't know cowboys might not like them, while those who do understand them will probably like them.
Sometimes won't know how to take him
Cowboys can be difficult to understand at times, which can be frustrating.
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right
Cowboys are not necessarily wrong, just different. Despite that, their pride may prevent them from admitting wrongdoing.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ED BRUCE, PATSY BRUCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@symonvolgan
The legends of the country music.
We’ll never have something like this ever again
@ianhickie5336
No
@scrimdaddy
Amen
@isaacmcquown
and wille is the uncle the one you only see pictures of.
@rossmcdonagh1554
No but no era of music has ever repeated and thats not a bad thing :)
@doncheadlefrank9079
Thanks to dr Ubaja for bring back my love, I'm here to teach you how to cast love spell
@jbmann5317
Waylon, Willie, Johnny, and Kris. How in the world did that stage not collapse under the weight of so much awesomeness?
@lawrencenielsen8758
Send me 14 Rifles.
@JB-qw2jk
This! 👍
@self-righteousideologue9398
@Dave at Southport - Nice try, Mr. Bezos