This song has the illusions of traditional marriage down pat, I think. Brought down by the division of labor, the day-to-day routine, etc.
That said, I have to admit the chorus of the song drives me crazy. Especially the last part.
Where is my Marlboro Man
Where is his shiny gun
Where is my lonely ranger
Where have all the cowboys gone?
Is she being ironic? She's saying she WANTS a cowboy?
What do we value about cowboys? Their self-sufficiency, their adventurous, independent spirit, their traditional manly-man ways, right? Womenfolk are rather background fixtures in their world, aren't they? If we figure into it at all.
Seems like she's already got that with the situation at hand - that's why I wonder if there's supposed to be some irony here.
@42 steps Yeah, I'm reminded of the movie "Shane", where the title cowboy realizes that, while he admires the domesticity of the homesteaders in the valley and wants to protect them, his very presence and his rough-and-ready cowboy lifestyle endangers them all, and so...he must leave his newfound "family" behind and ride off alone.
@42 steps Yeah, I'm reminded of the movie "Shane", where the title cowboy realizes that, while he admires the domesticity of the homesteaders in the valley and wants to protect them, his very presence and his rough-and-ready cowboy lifestyle endangers them all, and so...he must leave his newfound "family" behind and ride off alone.
Granted, I haven't watched many Westerns, but I can't think of a single one that ends with the cowboy settling down with a family. But it's almost a cliche to have the mysterious stranger tip his hat, say "Sorry ma'am, but a...
Granted, I haven't watched many Westerns, but I can't think of a single one that ends with the cowboy settling down with a family. But it's almost a cliche to have the mysterious stranger tip his hat, say "Sorry ma'am, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do," and ride off--alone--into the sunset.
This song has the illusions of traditional marriage down pat, I think. Brought down by the division of labor, the day-to-day routine, etc.
That said, I have to admit the chorus of the song drives me crazy. Especially the last part.
Where is my Marlboro Man Where is his shiny gun Where is my lonely ranger Where have all the cowboys gone?
Is she being ironic? She's saying she WANTS a cowboy?
What do we value about cowboys? Their self-sufficiency, their adventurous, independent spirit, their traditional manly-man ways, right? Womenfolk are rather background fixtures in their world, aren't they? If we figure into it at all.
Seems like she's already got that with the situation at hand - that's why I wonder if there's supposed to be some irony here.
The image of a cowboy I have is resilient and steadfast, good qualities for anyone to have.
The image of a cowboy I have is resilient and steadfast, good qualities for anyone to have.
@42 steps Yeah, I'm reminded of the movie "Shane", where the title cowboy realizes that, while he admires the domesticity of the homesteaders in the valley and wants to protect them, his very presence and his rough-and-ready cowboy lifestyle endangers them all, and so...he must leave his newfound "family" behind and ride off alone.
@42 steps Yeah, I'm reminded of the movie "Shane", where the title cowboy realizes that, while he admires the domesticity of the homesteaders in the valley and wants to protect them, his very presence and his rough-and-ready cowboy lifestyle endangers them all, and so...he must leave his newfound "family" behind and ride off alone.
Granted, I haven't watched many Westerns, but I can't think of a single one that ends with the cowboy settling down with a family. But it's almost a cliche to have the mysterious stranger tip his hat, say "Sorry ma'am, but a...
Granted, I haven't watched many Westerns, but I can't think of a single one that ends with the cowboy settling down with a family. But it's almost a cliche to have the mysterious stranger tip his hat, say "Sorry ma'am, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do," and ride off--alone--into the sunset.