| "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Patsy Montana | |
| Written | 1934 |
| Recorded | 1935 |
| Genre | Country and western |
| Songwriter(s) | Patsy Montana |
"I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" is a country and Western song written and first recorded in 1935 by Ruby Blevins, who performed as Patsy Montana. It was the first country song by a female artist to sell more than one million copies.[1]
Background and release
| External audio | |
|---|---|
) | |
 , performed by Patsy Montana, Encyclopedia of Arkansas |
Montana wrote the song in 1934 when she was feeling lonely and missing her boyfriend; it was recorded a year later when producer Art Satherly, of ARC Records, needed one more song at a Prairie Ramblers recording session.[2] 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
Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.[3] 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.[2]
Cover versions
"I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" has been recorded by, among others,
- Rosalie Allen, in a 1940s yodeling version,[4]
- Patti Page (as a single)[5]
- Suzy Bogguss (on her 1989 album Somewhere Between)
- Dixie Chicks (on their 1990 debut album Thank Heavens for Dale Evans)
- Lynn Anderson (on her 1992 album Cowboy's Sweetheart)
- LeAnn Rimes (on her 1994 album All That)[6]
- Nickel Creek on their 2003 album Little Cowpoke
- 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"
- Phish (performed in 1996 and released in 2007 on Vegas 96)
- Cyndi Lauper featuring yodeling Jewel (on her 2016 album Detour).[7]
Bogguss' version peaked at #77 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 1988.
Ha*Ash version
| "Vaquera (I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart)" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Ha*Ash | |
| from the album Mundos Opuestos | |
| Released | 27 September 2005 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 2:42 |
| Label | Sony Music Latin |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Áureo Baqueiro |
American Rock-pop duo Ha*Ash made a Spanish yodeling version of the song called "Vaquera" (Cowgirl), included in their 2005 album Mundos Opuestos. "Vaquera" was produced by Áureo Baqueiro.[8] It was released on September 27, 2005, by Sony Music Entertainment.[8]
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from AllMusic.[9][8]
Recording and management
- Recording Country: United States
- Sony / ATV Discos Music Publishing LLC / Westwood Publishing
- (P) 2005 Sony Music Entertainment México, S.A. De C.V.
Ha*Ash
- Ashley Grace – vocals, guitar
- Hanna Nicole – vocals, guitar
Additional personnel
- Áureo Baqueiro – recording engineer, arranger, director
- Patsy Montana – songwriting.
- Gerardo García – guitar, acoustic guitar, mandoline.
- Tommy Morgan – harmonica.
- Gabe Witcher – violin.
References
- ^ "Patsy Montana's Vest and Skirt". HistoryWired: A few of our favorite things. Smithsonian Institution. 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 13 August 2014.
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/song/i-want-to-be-a-cowboys-sweetheart-mt0035733977
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-singles-1946-1952-mw0002086079
- ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/unchained-melody-the-early-years-mw0000087933
- ^ Cyndi Lauper (Ft. Jewel) – I Want To Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart, retrieved 2019-08-11
- ^ a b c Mundos Opuestos (Edición Especial) de l'artista Ha-Ash (in Spanish), retrieved 2019-08-11
- ^ "Mundos Opuestos - Ha*Ash | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-08-07.