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"'''Should've Been a Cowboy'''" is a song written and recorded by American [[country music]] artist [[Toby Keith]]. It was released on February 12, 1993, as his debut single and the first from his [[Toby Keith (album)|self-titled debut album]]. On June 5, 1993, the song reached number one on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs]] and the Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks charts. It also peaked at number 93 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], making it a minor crossover hit.
"'''Should've Been a Cowboy'''" is a song written and recorded by American [[country music]] artist [[Toby Keith]]. It was released on February 12, 1993, as his debut single and the first from his [[Toby Keith (album)|self-titled debut album]]. On June 5, 1993, the song reached number one on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Songs]] and the Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks charts. It also peaked at number 93 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], making it a minor crossover hit.

It has received more than three million [[Spin (radio)|spin]]s on country radio, making it the most-played country song of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1553672/toby-keith-jams-notches-50-million-airplays.jhtml|title=Toby Keith Jams, Notches 50 Million Airplays|last=Shelburne|first=Craig|date=1 March 2007|work=[[Country Music Television|CMT]]|access-date=4 October 2010}}</ref>


The song is a staple following sporting events at Oklahoma State University (home of the Cowboys), often played over the venue's PA system several times in succession as fans emptied the stadium or arena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2009/10/10/toby-keith-discusses-his-weird-connection-to-ou-and-osu/|title=Toby Keith discusses his "weird connection" to OU and OSU|last=McDonnell|first=Brandy|date=10 October 2009|work=[[newsok.com]]|access-date=4 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121210042338/http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2009/10/10/toby-keith-discusses-his-weird-connection-to-ou-and-osu/|archive-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>
The song is a staple following sporting events at Oklahoma State University (home of the Cowboys), often played over the venue's PA system several times in succession as fans emptied the stadium or arena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2009/10/10/toby-keith-discusses-his-weird-connection-to-ou-and-osu/|title=Toby Keith discusses his "weird connection" to OU and OSU|last=McDonnell|first=Brandy|date=10 October 2009|work=[[newsok.com]]|access-date=4 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121210042338/http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/2009/10/10/toby-keith-discusses-his-weird-connection-to-ou-and-osu/|archive-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>
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==Content==
==Content==
The lyrics romanticize the [[cowboy]] lifestyle through references to old [[Western (genre)|Westerns]]. The first verse references ''[[Gunsmoke]]'', in which cowboy hero [[Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke)|Marshall Dillon]] never settled down with his love interest Miss Kitty. The second verse tells of his own adventures if the narrator were a cowboy: having "a sidekick with a funny name" (possibly a reference to sidekicks like [[Tonto]] or [[The Cisco Kid#Movies|Gordito]]), travelling west to California (including the historical quote "[[Go West, young man]]"), hunting down Western outlaw [[Jesse James]], joining up with the [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]], and so on. The chorus refers to famous [[singing cowboy]]s [[Gene Autry]] and [[Roy Rogers]], and lists common patterns depicted in Westerns such as six-shooters ([[revolvers]]) and [[Cattle drives in the United States|cattle drives]].
The song was inspired by an incident Keith experienced at a bar in the early 90s. According to Keith: <blockquote>“This highway patrolman who I had met on the trip, his name was John, he jumps up. He was probably 45 or 50 back then, and he runs over to this 25-year-old cowgirl. He was going to show that he could bust a move. She turns him down. He comes over, and said, ‘She says she doesn’t dance.’ About 15 minutes later, a young cowboy comes in — and off they go on the dance floor. Everybody was making fun of him, and one of the guys said, ‘John, I guess you should have been a cowboy.’ ” <ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dauphin |first=Chuck |date=2018-12-07 |title=Toby Keith Reflects on the 25th Anniversary of His Breakthrough Hit, 'Should've Been a Cowboy' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/toby-keith-reflects-25th-anniversary-shouldve-been-a-cowboy-8489149/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref></blockquote>The lyrics romanticize the [[cowboy]] lifestyle through references to old [[Western (genre)|Westerns]]. The first verse references ''[[Gunsmoke]]'', in which cowboy hero [[Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke)|Marshal Dillon]] never settled down with his love interest Miss Kitty. The second verse tells of his own adventures if the narrator were a cowboy: having "a sidekick with a funny name" (possibly a reference to sidekicks like [[Tonto]] or [[The Cisco Kid#Movies|Gordito]]), travelling west to California (including the historical quote "[[Go West, young man]]"), hunting down Western outlaw [[Jesse James]], joining up with the [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]], and so on. The chorus refers to famous [[singing cowboy]]s [[Gene Autry]] and [[Roy Rogers]], and lists common patterns depicted in Westerns such as six-shooters ([[revolvers]]) and [[Cattle drives in the United States|cattle drives]].


==Response==
==Response==
In 2021, [[Adeem the Artist]] released the song "I Wish You Would've Been a Cowboy", an [[answer song]] to "Should've Been a Cowboy" which criticizes Keith.<ref name="femme">{{cite web | url=https://www.audiofemme.com/premiere-adeem-the-artist-cast-iron-pansexual/ | title=PREMIERE: Adeem the Artist Reclaims Identity With Cast Iron Pansexual LP |author=Jason Scott | publisher=Audio Femme | date=March 2, 2021 | access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref>
In 2021, [[Adeem the Artist]] released the song "I Wish You Would've Been a Cowboy", an [[answer song]] to "Should've Been a Cowboy" which criticizes Keith, particularly his post 9/11 songwriting.<ref name="femme">{{cite web | url=https://www.audiofemme.com/premiere-adeem-the-artist-cast-iron-pansexual/ | title=PREMIERE: Adeem the Artist Reclaims Identity With Cast Iron Pansexual LP |author=Jason Scott | publisher=Audio Femme | date=March 2, 2021 | access-date=November 23, 2021}}</ref>


==Other media==
==Other media==
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==Chart positions==
==Chart positions==
"Should've Been a Cowboy" debuted at number 69 on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart for the week of March 6, 1993. It became Keith's first number one single on the chart dated June 5, 1993, remaining there for two weeks. It was certified two-times platinum by the RIAA on August 3, 2023, thirty years after its release.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Should've Been a Cowboy|artist=Toby Keith}}
"Should've Been a Cowboy" debuted at number 69 on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart for the week of March 6, 1993. It became Keith's first number one single on the chart dated June 5, 1993, remaining there for two weeks. It was certified three-times platinum by the RIAA on September 18, 2023, thirty years after its release.{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=single|title=Should've Been a Cowboy|artist=Toby Keith}} Following Keith's death on February 5, 2024, the single re-entered the Hot Country Songs chart at number 12 on the chart week dated February 17, 2024. It was one of five Toby Keith songs to re-enter the chart that week, as well as the highest peaking.<ref name="bbchart">{{cite magazine |date= |title=Country Songs chart for February 17, 2024 |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/country-songs/2024-02-17/ |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=February 13, 2024}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable"
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
⚫
!align="left"|Chart (1993)
|+1993 weekly chart performance for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
⚫
!align="center"|Peak<br />position
⚫
!scope="col"|Chart (1993)
⚫
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
|-
{{singlechart|Canadacountry|1|chartid=0991|publishdate=June 26, 1993|access-date=August 5, 2013}}
{{single chart|Canadacountry|1|chartid=0991|publishdate=June 26, 1993|rowheader=true|access-date=August 5, 2013}}
|-
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardhot100|93|artist=Toby Keith}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|93|artist=Toby Keith|rowheader=true}}
|-
|-
{{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Toby Keith}}
{{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|1|artist=Toby Keith|rowheader=true}}
⚫
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+2024 weekly chart performance for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
!scope="col"|Chart (2024)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|Billboardglobal200|193|artist=Toby Keith|rowheader=true|access-date=February 13, 2024}}
|-
{{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|12|artist=Toby Keith|rowheader=true|access-date=February 13, 2024|refname=CS2024}}
|}
|}


===Year-end charts===
===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Year-end chart performance for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
⚫
|-
!scope="col"|Chart (1993)
!scope="col"|Chart (1993)
!scope="col"|Position
!scope="col"|Position
|-
|-
| Canada Country Tracks (''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.2327&type=1&interval=24|title=RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1993|work=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|date=December 18, 1993|access-date=August 5, 2013}}</ref>
! scope="row"| Canada Country Tracks (''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.2327&type=1&interval=24|title=RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1993|work=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|date=December 18, 1993|access-date=August 5, 2013}}</ref>
| align="center" | 73
| align="center" | 73
|-
|-
| US [[Hot Country Songs|Country Songs]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1993: Country Songs | work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] | year=1993| access-date=August 5, 2013}}</ref>
! scope="row"| US [[Hot Country Songs|Country Songs]] (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref>{{Cite magazine | url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/hot-country-songs| title=Best of 1993: Country Songs | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | publisher=[[Prometheus Global Media]] | year=1993| access-date=August 5, 2013}}</ref>
| align="center" | 39
| align="center" | 39
|}
|}


==Certifications==
==Certifications==
{{certification Table Top}}
{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Should've Been a Cowboy"}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Toby Keith|title=Should%27ve Been a Cowboy|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=2023|relyear=1993|access-date=August 3, 2023}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=United States|artist=Toby Keith|title=Should%27ve Been a Cowboy|award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2024|relyear=1993|access-date=October 16, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Song recordings produced by Harold Shedd]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Harold Shedd]]
[[Category:Mercury Records singles]]
[[Category:Mercury Records singles]]
[[Category:PolyGram singles]]

Latest revision as of 19:31, 25 November 2024

"Should've Been a Cowboy"
Single by Toby Keith
from the album Toby Keith
B-side"Some Kinda Good Kinda Hold on Me"
ReleasedFebruary 12, 1993
Recorded1992
GenreCountry
Length3:30
LabelPolygram/Mercury 864990
Songwriter(s)Toby Keith
Producer(s)
Toby Keith singles chronology
"Should've Been a Cowboy"
(1993) 		"He Ain't Worth Missing"
(1993)

"Should've Been a Cowboy" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released on February 12, 1993, as his debut single and the first from his self-titled debut album. On June 5, 1993, the song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts. It also peaked at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a minor crossover hit.

The song is a staple following sporting events at Oklahoma State University (home of the Cowboys), often played over the venue's PA system several times in succession as fans emptied the stadium or arena.[1]

American Aquarium covered the song on their 2021 album Slappers, Bangers, and Certified Twangers: Vol 1.

Content

[edit]

The song was inspired by an incident Keith experienced at a bar in the early 90s. According to Keith:

“This highway patrolman who I had met on the trip, his name was John, he jumps up. He was probably 45 or 50 back then, and he runs over to this 25-year-old cowgirl. He was going to show that he could bust a move. She turns him down. He comes over, and said, ‘She says she doesn’t dance.’ About 15 minutes later, a young cowboy comes in — and off they go on the dance floor. Everybody was making fun of him, and one of the guys said, ‘John, I guess you should have been a cowboy.’ ” [2]

The lyrics romanticize the cowboy lifestyle through references to old Westerns. The first verse references Gunsmoke, in which cowboy hero Marshal Dillon never settled down with his love interest Miss Kitty. The second verse tells of his own adventures if the narrator were a cowboy: having "a sidekick with a funny name" (possibly a reference to sidekicks like Tonto or Gordito), travelling west to California (including the historical quote "Go West, young man"), hunting down Western outlaw Jesse James, joining up with the Texas Rangers, and so on. The chorus refers to famous singing cowboys Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and lists common patterns depicted in Westerns such as six-shooters (revolvers) and cattle drives.

Response

[edit]

In 2021, Adeem the Artist released the song "I Wish You Would've Been a Cowboy", an answer song to "Should've Been a Cowboy" which criticizes Keith, particularly his post 9/11 songwriting.[3]

Other media

[edit]

The song is available as downloadable content on the music video game, Rock Band.

Chart positions

[edit]

"Should've Been a Cowboy" debuted at number 69 on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of March 6, 1993. It became Keith's first number one single on the chart dated June 5, 1993, remaining there for two weeks. It was certified three-times platinum by the RIAA on September 18, 2023, thirty years after its release.[4] Following Keith's death on February 5, 2024, the single re-entered the Hot Country Songs chart at number 12 on the chart week dated February 17, 2024. It was one of five Toby Keith songs to re-enter the chart that week, as well as the highest peaking.[5]

1993 weekly chart performance for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
Chart (1993) Peak
position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[6] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[7] 93
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 1
2024 weekly chart performance for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Global 200 (Billboard)[9] 193
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[10] 12

Year-end charts

[edit]
Year-end chart performance for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
Chart (1993) Position
Canada Country Tracks (RPM)[11] 73
US Country Songs (Billboard)[12] 39

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "Should've Been a Cowboy"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[13] 4× Platinum 4,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ McDonnell, Brandy (10 October 2009). "Toby Keith discusses his "weird connection" to OU and OSU". newsok.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  2. ^ Dauphin, Chuck (2018-12-07). "Toby Keith Reflects on the 25th Anniversary of His Breakthrough Hit, 'Should've Been a Cowboy'". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
  3. ^ Jason Scott (March 2, 2021). "PREMIERE: Adeem the Artist Reclaims Identity With Cast Iron Pansexual LP". Audio Femme. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  4. ^ "American single certifications – Toby Keith – Should've Been a Cowboy". Recording Industry Association of America.
  5. ^ "Country Songs chart for February 17, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  6. ^ "Top RPM Country Tracks: Issue 0991." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. June 26, 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  8. ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  10. ^ "Toby Keith Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  11. ^ "RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1993". RPM. December 18, 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  12. ^ "Best of 1993: Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  13. ^ "American single certifications – Toby Keith – Should%27ve Been a Cowboy". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
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