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Introduction
“I Can Still Make Cheyenne”: A Cowboy’s Lament
Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we’re going to delve into a song that captures the bittersweet essence of love, loss, and the enduring spirit of the American cowboy. We’re talking about George Strait’s “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” a ballad that resonates with anyone who’s ever felt the pull of two conflicting worlds.
This isn’t just another country song; it’s a story, a vignette of life on the rodeo circuit, where the thrill of the ride is often intertwined with the loneliness of the road. It’s a song that speaks to the heart of anyone who’s ever had to choose between their passion and their love.
George Strait, the undisputed king of country music, delivers this narrative with his signature smooth vocals, imbuing the lyrics with a raw honesty that’s both heartbreaking and beautiful. He doesn’t just sing the song; he embodies the character, a cowboy torn between his love for a woman and his lifelong dream of making it to Cheyenne, the “Daddy of ’em All” of rodeos.
The song opens with a phone call, a lifeline connecting our cowboy to the woman he loves. But as the conversation unfolds, it becomes clear that their relationship is on shaky ground. She’s tired of the rodeo life, the constant travel, the late-night calls, and the uncertainty that comes with loving a cowboy. She’s found someone new, someone who “sure ain’t no rodeo man.”
This is where the song’s brilliance lies. It doesn’t paint the woman as a villain or the cowboy as a victim. It simply presents their perspectives, two people caught in the crosscurrents of life. The woman yearns for stability and security, while the cowboy clings to his dream, a dream that’s as much a part of him as his own skin.
And then comes the line that gives the song its poignant title: “I can still make Cheyenne.” It’s a line that speaks volumes about the cowboy’s character. He’s not begging or pleading; he’s acknowledging her decision while reaffirming his own commitment to his dream. It’s a quiet act of defiance, a statement that says, “I may have lost you, but I won’t lose myself.”
The song’s final verse mirrors the first, bringing the story full circle. The cowboy hangs up the phone, takes one last look around, and then points his truck toward Wyoming, toward Cheyenne. It’s an ending that’s both heartbreaking and hopeful, leaving us to wonder about the cowboy’s future, about the choices we make and the paths we take.
“I Can Still Make Cheyenne” is more than just a song; it’s a testament to the enduring power of dreams, the pain of lost love, and the resilience of the human spirit. It’s a song that stays with you long after the music fades, a reminder that life is a rodeo, full of twists and turns, falls and triumphs. And sometimes, all you can do is dust yourself off, climb back in the saddle, and aim your sights toward the next horizon.
Video
Lyrics
Her telephone rang ’bout a quarter to nine
She heard his voice on the other end of the line
She wondered what was wrong this time
She never knew what his calls might bring
With a cowboy like him it could be anything
And she always expected the worst in the back of her mind
He said, It’s cold out here, and I’m all alone
I didn’t make the short go again and I’m comin’ home
I know I’ve been away too long
I never got a chance to write or call
I know this rodeo has been hard on us all
But I’ll be home soon, and honey is there something wrong?
She said, don’t bother comin’ home
By the time you get here I’ll be long gone
There’s some body new and he sure ain’t no rodeo man
He said, I’m sorry it’s come down to this
There’s so much about you that I’m gonna miss
But it’s all right baby, if I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
Gotta go now baby, if I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
He left that phone danglin’ off the hook
Then slowly turned around and gave it one last look
Then he just walked away
He aimed his truck toward that Wyoming line
With a little luck he can still get there in time
And in that Cheyenne wind he could still hear her say:
She said, don’t bother comin’ home
By the time you get here I’ll be long gone
There’s some body new and he sure ain’t no rodeo man
He said, I’m sorry it’s came down to this
There’s so much about you that I’m gonna miss
But it’s all right baby, if I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
Gotta go now baby, if I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
She never knew what his calls might bring
With a cowboy like him, it could be anything
And she always expected the worst in the back of her mind…