Indian Outlaw
{{Infobox song
| name = Indian Outlaw
| cover = Tim McGraw - Indian Outlaw.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Tim McGraw
| album = Not a Moment Too Soon
| released = January 22, 1994
| recorded = 1993
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Country
| length = 3:01 (Album Version)
4:20 (Dance Mix)
| label = Curb
| writer = {{flatlist|
- Tommy Barnes
- Jumpin' Gene Simmons
- John D. Loudermilk
}}
| producer = {{flatlist|
}}
| prev_title = Two Steppin' Mind
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = Don't Take the Girl
| next_year = 1994
}}
"Indian Outlaw" is a song written by Tommy Barnes, Jumpin' Gene Simmons, and John D. Loudermilk, and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. It was released in January 1994 as the first single from his album Not a Moment Too Soon. It was McGraw's breakthrough and first Top 40 country hit, peaking at No. 8 on Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks, and No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Content
The song is an up-tempo set in minor key, backed by tom-tom drums and fiddle. The narrator describes himself as a rebellious American Indian character, "Half Cherokee and Choctaw". He describes, among other things, his pursuit of a Chippewa lover.
The song contains a sample of John D. Loudermilk's song "Indian Reservation",http://www.ihesm.com/Loudermilk2.html Songs written by John D. Loudermilk which is sung as shouting at the end ("Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe! / So proud to live, so proud to die!").
A dance remix of the single was also made, and it appears on McGraw's 2010 album Number One Hits.
The song was considered controversial at the time, due to its stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans;[https://web.archive.org/web/20040616120307/http://www.cmt.com/shows/dyn/controversy/67940/episode_about.jhtml CMT.com : Shows : Controversy : "Indian Outlaw" : About the Episode][https://web.archive.org/web/20070930043336/http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1471365/20030418/wynette_tammy.jhtml CMT.com : Political Controversies Found Wynette and McGraw] as a result, some radio stations refused to play it.{{cite web|last=Gerome |first=John |title=Growing Strong - Cyrus' reach encompasses country music, more |publisher=San Angelo Standard Times |date=April 13, 2007 |url=http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2007/apr/13/growing-strong---Cyrus'-reach-encompasses-country/ |access-date=2007-07-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070426100339/http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2007/apr/13/growing-strong---mcgraws-reach-encompasses-country/ |archive-date=April 26, 2007 |url-status=dead }}
Critical reception
Larry Flick of Billboard called it an "incredible single" that is "positively stuffed with lyrical and musical Native American cliches, from tomtoms to wigwams to peace pipes." He went on to say that if the song became a hit, it would "set relations back 200 years."{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IwgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA71 |title=Single Reviews |magazine=Billboard|publisher=BPI Communications|date=February 5, 1994 |access-date=May 5, 2015 |page=71 |issn=0006-2510|volume=106|number=6|last=Flick|first=Larry}} In a review of Not a Moment Too Soon for the same publication, "Indian Outlaw" was again noted as clichéd; the authors deemed it "either one of the catchiest or one of the stupidest songs ever written."{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QggEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA62 |title=Album Reviews |magazine=Billboard|publisher=BPI Communications|date=April 16, 1994 |access-date=May 5, 2015 |page=62 |issn=0006-2510|volume=106|number=6|last1=Verna|first1=Paul|last2=Gillen|first2=Marilyn A.|last3=Cronin|first3=Peter}}
Music video
There were two versions of the video released. One was for the original version of the song and played on CMT, and the other was for an extended dance mix. Both were directed by Sherman Halsey, who also directed most of McGraw's subsequent videos and it shows Tim McGraw performing the song at a dancehall, playing a game of billiards, and riding his motorcycle with a female friend.
Track listings
US Vinyl, 7"
- A Indian Outlaw (Radio Mix) 2:59
- B Don't Take The Girl 4:09
Germany CD
- Indian Outlaw (European Version) 2:59
- Indian Outlaw (American Version) 2:59
- Indian Outlaw (Dance Version) 4:19
Chart performance
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Peak positions=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1994) !align="center"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Canadacountry|24|chartid=2454|publishdate=April 25, 1994|access-date=August 4, 2013}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardhot100|15|artist=Tim McGraw}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardcountrysongs|8|artist=Tim McGraw}} |
=End of year charts=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1994) !align="center"|Position |
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1994 |title=Billboard Top 100 - 1994 |access-date=2010-08-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301121519/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1994 |archive-date=March 1, 2009 }}
|align="center"|90 |
{{col-2}}
=Certifications=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Tim McGraw|title=Indian Outlaw|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=1994|certyear=2022|access-date=August 19, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
{{col-end}}
Parodies
American country music parody artist Cledus T. Judd released a parody of "Indian Outlaw" titled "Indian In-Laws" on his 1995 album Cledus T. Judd (No Relation).{{cite journal|last=Hollabaugh|first=Lorie|date=April 22, 1994|title=Bits & Pieces|journal=Radio & Records|page=38|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-04-22.pdf}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Tim McGraw singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by John D. Loudermilk
Category:Song recordings produced by Byron Gallimore
Category:Song recordings produced by James Stroud
Category:Music videos directed by Sherman Halsey
Category:Songs about Native Americans