Thin Lizzy – Cowboy Song

This song starts off slow, and then it really kicks the door in.  They had bigger hits such as The Boys Are Back in Town and Jailbreak, but this song is really good. It’s always been at the top of my Thin Lizzy song list. It has a cinematic feel to it. I like this one because of a great moment after the bass break, and Phil kicks it in full force. I love dynamics when they are done right, and this is. 

What a groundbreaking band Thin Lizzy was at the time. You had a black Irish singer-bass player, Phil Lynott,  who reminded people of Van Morrison singing and a little of Springsteen in some of his writing…all in a harder rock format. I always liked Thin Lizzy because of two things. The brilliant Phil Lynott and the dual guitar lead that this band made popular. 

The song was written by Phil Lynott and drummer Brian Downey, tells the story of a drifting cowboy longing for love. It was released as a single in 1976 and peaked at #77 on the Billboard 100. The song was on their Jailbreak Album. The album peaked at #18 on the Billboard Album Charts, #5 in Canada, and #10 in the UK. 

The members of Thin Lizzy were bassist and singer Phil Lynott, Drummer Brian Downey, guitarist Brian Robertson, and guitarist Scott Gorham. Gary Moore was a member for a few months and also Them’s keyboardist Erix Wrixon but Moore and Wrixon didn’t stay long.

I first heard the song on the Live and Dangerous album that was released two years later. 

Scott Gorham: “Cowboy Song” originally began as a joke. During a writing session, Lynott half-seriously suggested they try to write a “cowboy song.” But as the ideas started flowing, it took on a life of its own… one of the best songs we ever did.

Phil Lynott biographer Mark Putterford: “a cross between Clint Eastwood and Rudolph Valentino, with a bit of George Best thrown in for good measure. Philip strode into the sunset of his own imagination and always, of course, lived to fight another day.”

Cowboy Song

I am just a cowboy, lonesome in the trail.
Starry night, campfire light, and the coyote calls where the howlin’ winds will.
So I ride out to the ol’ sundown. I am just a cowboy, lonesome on the trail.
Lord I’m just thinking about a certain female.
And the nights we spent together, riding on the range.
Looking back, it doesn’t seem so strange.

Roll me over and turn me around. Let me keep spinning ’til I hit the ground.
Roll me over and let me go, riding in the rodeo.

I was took in Texas, I did not know her name.
But Lord all these southern girls, they seem the same.
But down below the border, in a town in Mexico,
I got my job busting broncs for the rodeo.

Roll me over ans turn me around, let me keep spinnin till I hit the ground.
Roll me over and let me go, running free with the buffalo.

Roll me over, and I’ll turn around.
And I’ll move my fingers up and down.
Up and down.

It’s ok amigo, just let me go.
Riding in the rodeo.

Roll me over and turn me around, let me keep spinning till I hit the ground.
Roll me over and let me go, riding in the rodeo.
Roll me over and set me free, the cowboy’s life is the life for me.

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

40 thoughts on “Thin Lizzy – Cowboy Song”

    1. No it’s not…they are rare! I like his singing and songwriting a lot. They were different from the Foghats and the Bad Companys of the world.

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  6. I love this one. I think Lynott/Thin Lizzy are always credited with the multi-guitar attack, his songwriting, and his bass playing, but I love Lynott’s vocals on this one — especially this verse: “I was took in Texas, I did not know her name. But Lord all these southern girls, they seem the same.”

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    1. It was his phrasing and lyrics…they were spot on. Yea I love those lyrics. You can hear Bruce, Van, and others but Phil made it his own.

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  7. Man, this is pretty epic. I was stunned I hadn’t heard it before, since it just sounds so good and what you would presume be a huge hit. Only No. 77. You got to be kidding! I can see why you have this song at the top of your ‘Thin Lizzy’ list.

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    1. The Boys are Back in Town was their biggie but….Matt I hear Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen….I think people group Thin Lizzy with just a hard rock band…they were more than that to me anyway. Lynott could write and I love his singing. Thanks Matt! I’m glad you like this one…I love the dynamics of it.

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  8. This one’s kinda catchy & I’d never heard it until you mentioned it several years ago. I had a few friends in HS who were into Lizzy, but I wasn’t one of them. I did like that radio smash like everyone else mind you, we know where the boys are for the rest of our life thanks to it being played so much. At the time, I wouldn’t have believed they were Irish, they were led by a Black artist or that they would make a song like this

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    1. Some people grouped them with Foghat and others…not that there is anything wrong with hard rock or Foghat but these guys were different. Great lyrics and Lynott was special. No I never would have believed they were Irish at all!

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  9. a bad I knew, but honestly the Boy are Back in Town was pretty much all I really knew, but saying that I remember Live and Dangerous….I seem to recall paying more attention when Brian Robertson joined Motorhead…

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    1. Yea they had different influences than other hard rock bands at that time and were different. I forgot about Robertson doing that!

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  11. I have heard the radio hits and like them but never chose to dive deeper — until I heard, “A Song for While I’m Away — Acoustic” on Spotify. I didn’t really like the song at first, but then it wormed its way in and I fell in love with it. I need to get better acquainted with Thin Lizzy, especially knowing they are an Irish band. First time hearing “Cowboy Song.” So good. These guys are all hot looking too, which is always a bonus.

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    2. Phil Lynott was very special Lisa…he really was. I’ve commented this a few times but they were grouped with Foghat, Bad Company, and etc…nothing wrong with those bands…but this band was different because of Lynott.
      lol…yea they had a lot of femail admirers.

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      1. I totally agree they are a band apart from the ones you mention. You know how it goes with whoever makes a decision of what’s going to get radio play; it often doesn’t begin to capture the real essence of a musician/band. I think of “Lay Lady Lay” being representative of Bob Dylan…

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  12. Cool track, Max, which was all new to me. I’ve always dug Thin Lizzy, though my knowledge of their music remains spotty. It’s neat how “Cowboy Song” starts like a country rock ballad before kicking into full-blown rock gear. I love such shifts in dynamic. One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Thin Lizzy is their harmony guitar action, which is also nicely on display in this song.

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    1. Their harmony guitars yes…and Lynotts voice that was so different for the time….not like other hard rock bands. Some very good songwriting as well.

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  14. First time hearing this. Nice song. His voice was very recognizable. I love Gary Moore, but I’m not sure if I’ve heard anything from when he was in the band.

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  17. Pingback: Thin Lizzy – Cowboy Song – MobsterTiger

  20. My favorite Thin Lizzy song. I love that circular, noodling riff that anchors the song.

    I appreciate their twin lead guitar approach, for which they received attention they didn’t get prior, but The Allman Brothers did it earlier with D. Allman and Betts…and Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield were even earlier in The Paul Butterfield Blues Band.

    That said, I’ve never thought Thin Lizzy got enough love. They weren’t heavy metal, didn’t want to be. They were proudly, solidly hard rock.

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