2) The Intruders is a former American soul music group most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. As one of the first groups to have hit songs under the direction of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, they had a major influence on the development of Philadelphia soul.
Formed around 1960, the group originally consisted of Sam "Little Sonny" Brown, Eugene "Bird" Daughtry, Phillip "Phil" Terry and Robert "Big Sonny" Edwards.[1] In 1969, Sam Brown was replaced as lead singer by Bobby Starr, only to rejoin the group in 1973.
In 1965, when songwriters and record producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff first contemplated leaving the Cameo-Parkway record label to risk launching their own label, the vocalists on which they pinned all their hopes and venture capital were The Intruders. Like many other subsequent acts the duo produced, which includes the popular Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and The O'Jays, The Intruders had already developed a vocal sound that was both theirs and uniquely Philadelphian.
Brown, Daughtry, Terry and Edwards had been recording and performing one-off singles together since 1961, blending Philly's street corner doo-wop tradition with black gospel fervor. The result was neither as pop-infected as Motown, nor as funky and blues-inflected as Stax. The sound which The Intruders refined for the Excel, Gamble and Philadelphia International imprints reflected a different attitude than either Stax or Motown.
Gamble and Huff's success with The Intruders helped convince Columbia Records to grant them the money to launch Philadelphia International. Gamble and Huff acknowledged that their work with The Intruders was the very foundation of what they called "The Sound Of Philadelphia".
The Intruders, meanwhile, were undergoing some internal turmoil. When the group resurfaced on the 1970 Gamble LP, When We Get Married, lead singer Brown was replaced by nightclub singer, Bobby Starr (born Robert Ferguson). The title song, "When We Get Married" (R&B #8, Pop #45), a Dreamlovers cover, became a hit on the charts, as was the follow-up "(Win, Place Or Show) She's A Winner". Starr's tenure with the group was short-lived; Brown returned to the group in 1973 for the album Save The Children, which spawned The Intruders' last two big hits, "I'll Always Love My Mama" (R&B #6, Pop #36) and "I Wanna Know Your Name" (R&B #9, Pop #60).
"Cowboys To Girls" (R&B #1, Pop #6) remains the only chart topping single of their career. It was awarded an R.I.A.A. gold disc for one million sales in mid May 1968.[1] It was recently covered by the Hacienda Brothers. Other covers of their hit singles include Tiarra's cover of "Together", which was also done by Gladys Knight & The Pips on their Silk'N'Soul LP.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, in the West Coast, their music was popular among Latino, specifically Chicano, youth.[citation needed] Daughtry died of cancer in 1994, and Brown committed suicide in 1995. The Intruders continues to exist in 2 forms: The Philly Intruders, who appear on "the Big Show" DVD, and the Bobby Starr-led Intruders, who feature on the "My Music DVD hosted by Patti LaBelle on PBS.
Cowboy To Girls
The Intruders Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I remember when I used to play shoot 'em up
(Shoot 'em up, bang, bang baby)
I remember when I chased the girls and beat 'em up
But I was young and didn't understand
But now I'm a grown up man
I know girls are made for kissing
Never knew what I was missing
Now my life is not the same
My whole world has been rearranged
I went from (cowboy to girls)
Oh yes I did
(Cowboys to girls)
I remember when I used to see you jumping rope
(Jumping rope up and down baby)
And I remember when you got your first baby coach
But you were young and didn't understand
Now you're a woman and I'm a man
And it's me that you're kissing
Ain't it fun reminiscing
Now our lives are not the same
Our whole world has been rearranged
You went from (pretty dolls to boys)
Oh yes you did
And I went from (cowboys to girls)
Oh yes I did
And it's me that you're kissing
Ain't it fun reminiscing
And my life life is not the same
This whole world has been rearranged
I went from (cowboys to girls)
Oh yes I did
You went from (pretty dolls to boys)
Oh yes I did
I went from (cowboys to girls)
The Intruders' song "Cowboys to Girls" is a reflection on the growth and evolution of two individuals' understanding of love, relationships, and gender roles. The song begins with a reminiscence of childhood games where the singer used to play "shoot 'em up" and "beat up" girls, which was commonplace in society at the time. However, as he grew up and learned more about life, he realized that girls are not meant for violence but for "kissing." This realization marks a turning point in his life, where he moves away from the hyper-masculine and violent cowboy stereotype to embrace a more kind and gentle approach towards love and relationships.
Similarly, the female protagonist in the song is depicted as someone who used to play with "pretty dolls" and "baby coaches," representing the traditional gender roles assigned to girls in society. However, as she grew up and became a woman, she also evolved in her understanding of love and relationships, and started kissing "boys" instead. Through their personal evolutions and growth, the two protagonists come to the realization that their lives have been completely "rearranged," and they have moved away from their childhood assumptions of society and gender roles.
Overall, the song is a beautiful and insightful commentary on the transformative power of love and the evolution of societal norms surrounding gender roles.
Line by Line Meaning
Cowboys to girls
The singer is reminiscing about how he used to think of girls as something to chase and beat up when he was younger, but now he understands that girls are meant for kissing and his life has completely changed because of it
I remember when I used to play shoot 'em up
The singer is recalling a time in his childhood when he used to play games of pretend gunfight
(Shoot 'em up, bang, bang baby)
This could be interpreted as the singer adding some playful sound effects to emphasize the point he's making about his childhood games
I remember when I chased the girls and beat 'em up
The singer is acknowledging that he used to be a typical young boy who saw girls as something to chase and tease, but now he understands that he was wrong
But I was young and didn't understand
The singer recognizes that his misguided views of girls were due to his youth and inexperience
But now I'm a grown up man
The singer has matured and changed his views on girls as he's aged. He's learned that they are not objects to be chased and teased but rather to be appreciated and loved
I know girls are made for kissing
The singer understands that girls are meant to be loved and cherished in a romantic way
Never knew what I was missing
The singer had been missing out on the joys of kissing girls before he changed his viewpoint
Now my life is not the same
The singer's life has been transformed now that he's found love and appreciation for girls
My whole world has been rearranged
The singer's perspective on life, love, and relationships has fundamentally shifted
I went from (cowboy to girls)
The singer's identity, views, and priorities have transformed as he's grown up
Oh yes I did
The singer is emphatically affirming that he has indeed changed in profound ways
I remember when I used to see you jumping rope
The singer is again reminiscing about a specific memory from his childhood when he saw a girl jumping rope
(Jumping rope up and down baby)
The singer reinforces the happy, lighthearted tone of the memory with some playful language
And I remember when you got your first baby coach
The singer has a simple, pleasant memory of seeing this girl grow up
But you were young and didn't understand
The girl in question was also young and innocent at the time and couldn't understand the complex emotions and changes they would both experience as they grew up
Now you're a woman and I'm a man
Both the singer and the girl he's recalling have grown up and matured into adults
And it's me that you're kissing
The singer and the girl have grown into a romantic relationship and are experiencing the joy of being with each other in this way
Ain't it fun reminiscing
The singer is enjoying the nostalgia and memories of his childhood and past relationship experiences
Now our lives are not the same
Both the singer and the girl he's recalling have gone through major changes and growth, and neither of their lives are the same as they were before
Our whole world has been rearranged
The only constant in life is change, and both the singer and the girl he's recalling have experienced fundamental shifts in their lives
You went from (pretty dolls to boys)
The girl the singer is recalling has also grown up and gone through her own transformation, moving from dolls to boys as her interests and priorities shifted
Oh yes you did
The singer affirms that the girl has indeed gone through changes in her life just as he has
And my life life is not the same
The singer's life has undergone major changes and transformation now that he's found love and grown as a person
This whole world has been rearranged
The singer's entire worldview, priorities, and feelings have changed in profound ways since his youth
I went from (cowboys to girls)
The singer has transformed from a young, naive boy into an adult who loves and appreciates women
You went from (pretty dolls to boys)
The girl the singer is recalling has undergone her own transformation, growing from a girl interested in dolls to a woman interested in relationships with boys
Oh yes I did
The singer is affirming that he has changed and grown as a person in profound ways, just as the girl he's recalling has done
Lyrics © JAMIE MUSIC PUBLISHING CO, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENNY GAMBLE, LEON A HUFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shalainep5996
Today, my dad would’ve been 68 years old. 🙏🏽 He’s been gone 25 years. 🕊 He used to play this song so much while we were riding around in the car. I always play it on his birthday.❤️
@deshandlersims2695
👍🏆
@ponny_skumrc7712
I miss my dad with this 🎵 🎶 brings me back 😢 ilove you all
@lilyvillanueva9796
I love this song!
@dekovenbryant3168
Rip…. My dad is 69, he loves this song
@shirleymullen5104
Love this song reminds me when I was in teens,its just a beautiful song 🎵 ❤
@thelifeofjulesandgrandma9671
I just turned 70 and yes this song makes me feel 16 again. Wow.love it.
@georgechmielewski3035
I'm 72 and remember listening to this in real time on WVON in Chicago. Toni, me, & her Corvair.
@patriciamcculler797
I am 71
@user-qo5ou6ts8h
🙋🏿♀️66years here✊🏿