I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart
| "I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by Patsy Montana Acc. by Prairie Ramblers | |
| B-side | "Ridin' Old Paint" |
| Written | 1934 |
| Published | 1935 Bob Miller, Inc.[1] Universal - On Backstreet Music Inc. 1965 |
| Released | November 1935[2] |
| Recorded | August 16, 1935[3] |
| Studio | ARC Studios, New York City |
| Genre | Country (Hillbilly), Western |
| Label | Melotone 51156[4] |
| Songwriter(s) | Patsy Montana |
| Producer(s) | Art Satherley |
"I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" is a country and western song written and first recorded in 1935 by Rubye Blevins, who performed as Patsy Montana. It was the first country song by a female artist to sell more than one million copies.[5]
Background and release[edit]
Montana wrote the song in 1934 when she was feeling lonely and missing her boyfriend; it was recorded a year later when producer Art Satherley, of ARC Records, needed one more song at a Prairie Ramblers recording session.[6] Montana was the group's soloist at the time. Her song is based on Stuart Hamblen's western song Texas Plains: he is therefore credited as a cowriter. Patsy Montana embellished the simpler musical pattern of the original, especially with her yodeling. Patsy also used a lot of the original words: the song is somewhat of a feminine answer to its precursor.
Reception[edit]
Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[7] In 2012 her record was added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry list of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" American sound recordings.[6][8]
Cover versions[edit]
"I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" has been recorded by, among others,
- Rosalie Allen, in a 1940s yodeling version,[9]
- Patti Page (as a single)[10]
- Suzy Bogguss (on her 1989 album Somewhere Between). Her version peaked at #77 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
- Dixie Chicks (on their 1990 debut album Thank Heavens for Dale Evans)
- Lynn Anderson (on her 1992 album Cowboy's Sweetheart)
- Nickel Creek on their 1993 album Little Cowpoke
- LeAnn Rimes (on her 1994 album All That)[11]
- Clelia Adams on her 2004 album Heartbeat Highway
- Leslie Avril on her 1994 album Champagne and Desolation
- Bev McShanag and Olive Bice on their 1985 cassette Yodelling in Harmony
- The Cartwheels (The Australian band) on their 2001 ep The Cartwheels
- Ha*Ash (American band) made a Spanish yodeling version of the song called "Vaquera" on her 2005 album Mundos Opuestos.[12][13]
- Phish (performed in 1996 and released in 2007 on Vegas 96)
- Cyndi Lauper featuring yodeling Jewel (on her 2016 album Detour).[14]
References[edit]
- ^ "Patsy Montana "I Want to be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" sheet music cover". Ozark Folklife and Culture Images. 1935-12-31.
- ^ PATSY MONTANA; Prairie Ramblers (1935-11-01), I WANNA BE A COWBOY'S SWEETHEART, Internet Archive, Romeo, retrieved 2021-08-10
- ^ "MELOTONE 78rpm numerical listing discography: 1935 dated issues". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
- ^ PATSY MONTANA; Prairie Ramblers (1935), I WANNA BE A COWBOY'S SWEETHEART, Internet Archive, Melotone, retrieved 2021-08-10
- ^ "Patsy Montana's Vest and Skirt". HistoryWired: A few of our favorite things. Smithsonian Institution. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
- ^ a b "The National Recording Registry 2011". National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. Library of Congress. May 24, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-03.
Her song's lively, quick polka tempo and yodeling refrain, and Montana's exuberant delivery, resulted in it being requested at every performance; it became one of the first hits by a female country and western singer.
- ^ Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
- ^ "Complete National Recording Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart - Rosalie Allen | Song Info | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "The Singles 1946-1952 - Patti Page | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ "Unchained Melody: The Early Years - LeAnn Rimes | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
- ^ Mundos Opuestos (Edición Especial) de l'artista Ha-Ash (in European Spanish), retrieved 2019-08-11
- ^ "Mundos Opuestos - Ha*Ash | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
- ^ Cyndi Lauper (Ft. Jewel) – I Want To Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart, retrieved 2019-08-11
