Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!

On its release, Gary Crossing of Record Mirror wrote that "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" is "a delightful folksy lullaby with gorgeous harmonies, lilting country guitars and worldly wise lyrics".{{cite magazine|last=Crossing|first=Gary|date=17 March 1990|title=Singles|magazine=Record Mirror|page=14}} Mick Mercer of Melody Maker described it as "a cornball country and western tune" which "slightly disguis[es] MacColl's usual cunning lyrics in there, concerning the problems with men's attitudes to women and the balance between carnal lust and sex". He added, "The type of music ensures it won't reach as many people as it might - you only like this stuff if you're unfortunate enough to actually look like Hank Wangford, correct? - but it's horribly good. As per bleeding usual."{{cite magazine |last=Mercer |first=Mick |date=17 March 1990|title=Singles |magazine=Melody Maker |page=36}} Edwin Pouncey of New Musical Express considered the song to be "a full-throated and brazenly funny singalong" and "the best C&W you'll hear this side of Katy Moffatt".{{cite magazine |last=Pouncey |first=Edwin |date=17 March 1990|title=Singles |magazine=New Musical Express |page=15}}

In a review of Kite, Robin Denselow of The Guardian described the song as "country-style", "emotional" and "personal", with "straight talking matched against [MacColl's] own lap steel guitar work".{{cite news|last=Denselow|first=Robin|date=12 May 1989|title=Champion of the world|newspaper=The Guardian}} Lynden Barber of The Sydney Morning Herald commented, "Though titles like 'Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!' could spell twee-ness, there's a sharpness to the lyrics and spontaneity to the playing that obviates problems."{{cite news|last=Barber|first=Lynden|date=30 May 1989|title=Driving guitars and the poet's tongue|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald}} Fred Goodman of Rolling Stone noted, "Tracks like 'Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!' show that MacColl has something to say with those fine pipes."{{cite news|last=Goodman|first=Fred|date=4 May 1990|title=Session singer breaks out with first-rate album|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel}} L. Kent Wolgamott of the Lincoln Journal Star felt MacColl sounded reminiscent of Skeeter Davis on the "countryish" song.{{cite news|last=Wolgamott|first=L. Kent|date=8 May 1990|title=Three new releases get top grades|newspaper=Lincoln Journal Star}} Fred Shuster of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote, "Songs like 'Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!' and 'Fifteen Minutes' are well-sung and tuneful".{{cite news|last=Shuster|first=Fred|date=8 July 1990|title='Rheingold' recording solid; Spanic Boys get TV boost|newspaper=Leader-Telegram}} Tom Harrison of The Province described the song as "spritely" and a "worthy sequel" to MacColl's "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis".{{cite news|last=Harrison|first=Tom|date=19 January 1990|title=Sounds|newspaper=The Province}}

;7" single

1. "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" - 3:46
2. "Other People's Hearts" - 3:39

;12" single

1. "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" - 3:46
2. "Complainte Pour Ste Catherine" - 3:31
3. "Other People's Hearts" - 3:39

;CD single

1. "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" - 3:46
2. "Other People's Hearts" - 3:39
3. "Complainte Pour Ste Catherine" - 3:31
4. "Am I Right" - 1:27

• Kirsty MacColl - lead vocals, steel guitar
• Johnny Marr, Steve Turner - electric guitar
• Pete Glenister - electric guitar, acoustic guitar
• Robbie McIntosh - acoustic guitar
• Gavyn Wright, Roy Gillard, Wilfred Gibson - violins
• Fiachra Trench - string arrangement
• Malcolm Griffiths - trombone
• Guy Barker, Stuart Brooks - trumpet
• James Eller - double bass
• David Palmer - drums, percussion

Production

• Steve Lillywhite - producer of "Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" and "Complainte Pour Ste Catherine"
• Kirsty MacColl, Colin Stuart - producers of "Other People's Hearts" and "Am I Right"
• Alan Douglas, Chris Dickie - engineers
• Mark Wallis - mixing

Other

• Bill Smith Studio - sleeve design

• In 2002, American singer Kelly Willis included a version of the song on her fifth studio album Easy. She told Billboard that year: "That's one of my favorite cuts. I love [MacColl's] music, and I wore that song out. I had to think twice about doing this because of her death. I really wanted to do it justice."{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BgwEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Come+The+Cowboy+With+Me%22+interview+maccoll&pg=PA13 |title=Billboard – Google Books |date= 17 August 2002|access-date=27 July 2019}}

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Category:1989 songs

Category:1990 singles

Category:Kirsty MacColl songs

Category:Songs written by Kirsty MacColl

Category:Song recordings produced by Steve Lillywhite

Category:Virgin Records singles