If I Was a Cowboy
{{Short description|2021 single by Miranda Lambert}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox song
| name = If I Was a Cowboy
| cover = If I Was a Cowboy Boy.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Miranda Lambert
| album = Palomino
| released = {{Start date|2021|10|15}}
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:15
| label = RCA Nashville
| writer =
- Jesse Frasure
- Miranda Lambert
| producer =
- Miranda Lambert
- Luke Dick
- Jon Randall
| prev_title = Drunk (And I Don't Wanna Go Home)
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Strange
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|EJEz_z7cE_0|"If I Was a Cowboy"}}}}
}}
"If I Was a Cowboy" is a song by the American country music singer Miranda Lambert. It was released on October 15, 2021, as the lead single from her ninth solo studio album Palomino. The song was written by Lambert and Jesse Frasure, and produced by Lambert, Luke Dick and Jon Randall.{{cite web|url=https://americansongwriter.com/miranda-lambert-takes-country-radio-by-storm-with-new-single-if-i-was-a-cowboy/|title=Miranda Lambert Takes Country Radio by Storm with New Single "If I Was a Cowboy"|work=American Songwriter|last=Vitagliano|first=Joe|date=October 19, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}}
Background
On October 8, 2021, Lambert posted a video on Instagram and teased her fans with a snippet of the song.{{cite web|url=https://musicmayhemmagazine.com/breaking-miranda-lambert-to-release-new-song-if-i-was-a-cowboy/|title=Miranda Lambert To Release New Song "If I Was A Cowboy"|work=Music Mayhem|date=October 8, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}} She wrote the song with Frasure, and said in a press release, "We met doing the remix of 'Tequila Does' and he and I just got together one afternoon for a write and this is what came out of it. It's funny, he's a Detroit boy and I'm an East Texan, but somehow we wrote a song about the Wild West together."{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/miranda-lambert-if-i-was-a-cowboy-song-1242536/|title=Miranda Lambert's New Song 'If I Was a Cowboy' Is a Wild West Dream|work=Rolling Stone|last=Hudak|first=Joseph|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}}
Content
Emily Lee of iHeart described "If I Was a Cowboy" as "a Wild West-inspired track".{{cite web|url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2021-10-15-miranda-lambert-drops-wild-west-inspired-track-if-i-was-a-cowboy/|title=Miranda Lambert Drops Wild West-Inspired Track 'If I Was A Cowboy'|work=iHeart|last=Lee|first=Emily|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}} Angela Stefano of Taste of Country explained that the song is about "longing for life in the wild West".{{cite web|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/miranda-lambert-if-i-was-a-cowboy/|title=Miranda Lambert Reigns Supreme in New Single, 'If I Was a Cowboy'|work=Taste of Country|last=Stefano|first=Angela|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}}
Critical reception
Casey Young of Whiskeyriff called the song "a country version of Beyoncé's hit "If I Were a Boy".{{cite web|url=https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2021/10/15/miranda-lambert-releases-newest-single-if-i-was-a-cowboy/|title=Miranda Lambert Releases Newest Single "If I Was A Cowboy"|work=Whiskeyriff|last=Young|first=Casey|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}} Clayton Edwards of Outsider said that it "[is] steeped in classic Western sound with a modern flair", describing the lyrics as "Lambert daydreaming about being a cowboy".{{cite web|url=https://outsider.com/news/country-music/miranda-lambert-wild-west-her-new-single-if-i-was-cowboy/|title=Miranda Lambert Is as Wild as the West in Her New Single 'If I Was a Cowboy'|work=Outsider|last=Edwards|first=Clayton|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}}
Music videos
Two music videos were made. The first was released on October 15, 2021. It showcases Lambert "riding a horse, driving a vintage pickup truck", and enjoying the leisurely western life.{{cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Music/2021/10/15/Miranda-Lambert-If-I-Was-Cowboy/7571634304263/|title=Miranda Lambert sings of Wild West in new song 'If I Was a Cowboy'|work=UPI|last=Martin|first=Annie|date=October 15, 2021|access-date=October 31, 2021}} The official video, directed by Trey Fanjoy, was released on January 12, 2022. It was filmed in a small town in her home state of Texas.{{cite web|url=https://tasteofcountry.com/miranda-lambert-if-i-was-a-cowboy-music-video/|title=Miranda Lambert Has No Trouble Convincing in 'If I Was a Cowboy' Music Video |work=Taste of Country|last=Duke|first=Billy|date=January 12, 2022|access-date=January 15, 2022}}
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for "If I Was a Cowboy" ! scope="col"| Chart (2021–2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Canada|53|artist=Miranda Lambert|rowheader=true|access-date=March 29, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcanadacountry|3|artist=Miranda Lambert|rowheader=true|access-date=March 29, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|53|artist=Miranda Lambert|rowheader=true|access-date=April 26, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountryairplay|12|artist=Miranda Lambert|rowheader=true|access-date=June 14, 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|8|artist=Miranda Lambert|rowheader=true|access-date=May 10, 2022}} |
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+2022 year-end chart performance for "If I Was a Cowboy" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| US Country Airplay (Billboard){{cite web|title=Country Airplay – Year-End 2022|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/country-airplay-songs|website=Billboard|access-date=December 1, 2022}}
| 41 |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Hot Country Songs (Billboard){{cite web|title=Hot Country Songs – Year-End 2022|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/hot-country-songs|website=Billboard|access-date=December 1, 2022}}
| 33 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "If I Was a Cowboy"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Miranda Lambert|title=If I Was a Cowboy|award=Platinum|type=single|certyear=2023|access-date=December 22, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Miranda Lambert|title=If I Was a Cowboy|award=Gold|type=single|certyear=2022|access-date=May 1, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom| nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release history for "If I Was a Cowboy" ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"| Various
| October 15, 2021 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | rowspan="2"| RCA Records Nashville | {{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/30ECcjA3lMZPRpdJDyHAnT|title = If I Was a Cowboy|website = Spotify|date = October 15, 2021}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| United States
| October 18, 2021 |