Japanese Cowboy
"Japanese Cowboy" is a song by Ween from the 1996 album 12 Golden Country Greats.
Song Details[edit | edit source]
Recording and Composition[edit | edit source]
"Japanese Cowboy" is in the key of C major.
On the last day of recording for 12 Golden Country Greats, producer Ben Vaughn told Gene and Dean that the album was still missing a "single". The band went back to the hotel and quickly wrote "Japanese Cowboy" on hotel stationery. They then returned the studio and immediately recorded the song[1], though it never saw release as a single.
The lead vocals are sung by Gene Ween.
A lawsuit by the musician Vangelis alleged that the melody of this song was too close to the main theme of his famous soundtrack to the film Chariots of Fire. As a result, the publishing information for "Japanese Cowboy" lists Vangelis as a co-writer.[2] In a sarcastic nod to this situation, Ween regularly merged the ending of "Japanese Cowboy" into a rendition of the "Chariots of Fire" theme when performing live during the 1996 tour.[3]
Live Performances[edit | edit source]
"Japanese Cowboy" was debuted with the Shit Creek Boys on the 1996 12 Golden Country Greats tour, and was a staple of that tour. A 10/11/1996 recording can be heard on the live album Paintin' the Town Brown, and a 10/23/1996 recording is found on Live in Toronto Canada. Since that tour, the song was mostly retired for two decades. However, since the 2016 reunion, Ween has played it somewhat more frequently again.[4]
Lyrics[edit | edit source]
Like a Japanese cowboy
Or a brother on skates
Like a blizzard in Georgia
Or a train runnin' late
I call out your name, girl
In the heat of the night
And nobody answers
'Cause something ain't right
Breakfast at Shoney's
At $2.99
Saved me some money
And eased up my mind
I'm walkin' in circles
And feelin' the pain
I'm tossin' and turnin'
And cryin' in vain
Like a Japanese cowboy
Or a brother on skates
Like a blizzard in Georgia
Or a train runnin' late
I call out your name, girl
In the heat of the night
And nobody answers
'Cause something ain't right
I'm ridin' at midnight
And crossin' the line
From the rain in my windshield
And the tears in my eyes
Now the bedroom is empty
And I've spent my last dime
And the lovers are leavin'
I got nothin' but time
I got you on my mind
Like a Japanese cowboy
Or a brother on skates
Like a blizzard in Georgia
Or a train runnin' late
I call out your name, girl
In the heat of the night
And nobody answers
'Cause something ain't right
Song Themes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ https://tasteofcountry.com/ween-12-golden-country-greats-interview-ben-vaughn/
- ↑ https://tasteofcountry.com/ween-12-golden-country-greats-interview-ben-vaughn/
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=99&sort=1&ascDesc=DESC#table_top
- ↑ https://brownbase.org/every_time_played.php?band=all%20bands&song_id=99&sort=1&ascDesc=DESC#table_top