中古年代 聊聊老歌、老人和老故事，留下一些個人歷史的痕跡。 (若有侵權或陳述不實敬請告知，將會刪除或予修正。)

217愛的鼓勵 220訂閱站台

此曲為美國鄉村歌手兼詞曲作家ED Bruce與他的太太Pasty Bruce所合寫，並於1975年底首錄發行，在熱門鄉村榜獲得第15名的佳績。

1978，Waylon Jennings和Willie Nelson以雙人組合翻唱此曲，不僅在鄉村榜蟬聯了4週的冠軍，在熱門榜也達到第42名。且在1979為倆人奪得了一座最佳鄉村雙人 / 團體演唱的葛萊美獎。


Waylous Jennings & Willie Nelson (左)

Waylon Jennings在1959曾參與Buddy Holly的巡迴演唱，某次趕場將飛機座位讓給了身體不適綽號The Big Bopper的J.P. Richardson Jr.，Richardson竟然還對Jennings開玩笑說：希望你坐巴士會冷死。Jennings也回敬說：希望你們會墬機。沒想到一語成讖，當次的空難即是知名的「The Day the Music Died」。Jennings雖然逃過一劫，卻為他說過的這句玩笑話懊悔不已。



Willie Nelson之後還推出個人獨唱的版本，此版本曾出現在1979由勞勃瑞福和珍芳達主演的電影《The Electric Horseman》( 台譯：突圍者 ) 中。而Waylon Jennings也曾獨自演唱此曲，有人認為，Waylon Jennings要比Willie Nelson唱得好。



歌曲說的是要讓孩子長大後去當醫生或律師，而不要當個工作辛苦、四處飄泊沒什麼事業前途的牛仔。這當然是以功利為本的社會價值觀。想想目前的台灣也是，大家都想接受大學教育當社會的白領，但仍突破不了低薪的現實，如此的教育思維，弄了個社會一團糟。

Lucinda Williams 2008的版本，詮釋為偏藍調曲風，也另有番風味。

Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold.
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold.
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded levis,
And each night begins a new day.
If you don't understand him, an' he don't die young,
He'll prob'ly just ride away.

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
'Cos they'll never stay home and they're always alone.
Even with someone they love.

Cowboys like smokey old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings,
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night.
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do,
Sometimes won't know how to take him.
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him,
Do things to make you think he's right.

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.
Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
'Cos they'll never stay home and they're always alone.
Even with someone they love.