The Story Behind the Song: A Cowboy for You

In Greek mythology, when Odysseus was heading off for the Trojan War, he asked an old, wise friend to look after his son, Telemachus. The man’s name was Mentor, and he became counselor, teacher and a temporary surrogate father to the boy.

Being somebody’s mentor is a gift, both to you and to them.
If you’re really lucky, you meet a youth who displays all the raw materials of greatness -- strength, courage, integrity, intelligence, compassion --- and you get a chance to help this person fully become the person they are capable of being. You try to share what you’ve learned from what you’ve done, good, bad or ugly. Maybe they’ll make better choices as a result, avoid the worst mistakes.

But it’s up to them to do it, and you can’t take credit for their success if they do -- or blame yourself for their failure if they don’t. All you can do is tell them where the potholes are in the road; it’s up to them to do the driving.

Maybe someday, THEY’LL mentor someone and tell some stories about the mentor they had.
I think that’s as close to immortality as you get.


This idea works with horses and people, too.
An old, experienced “schoolmaster” horse mentors a green rider until he can ride well.
Then that rider mentors a new young pony to become a schoolmaster who mentors another green rider……

It’s the way things ought to be done, and too seldom are.

sj




A Cowboy for You

When the day is dark and long and stormy
And you feel like you might want to hide.
I tell you, darlin’, just you reach out for me
I’ll be the lion by your side.
And when you feel like singin’
So clear and strong
I’ll write you songs
I’ll even sing along
‘Cause you know there’s nothin’ I’d rather do
Than be a cowboy for you.

We’re the sun and the moon
We’re the old and the new
You’re young and brilliant
I’m tried and true
And there’s nothin’ I’d rather do
Than be a cowboy for you.

Parts of my life have not been pretty
Filled with anger, filled with pain.
But I escaped from the dyin’ city –
Now let me make this very plain:
To be with you,
My love, my friend
I’d crawl through hell
A time or ten
‘Cause there’s nothin’ I’d rather do
Than be a cowboy for you.

We’re the sun and the moon
We’re the old and the new
You’re young and brilliant
I’m tried and true
And there’s nothin’ I’d rather do
Than be a cowboy for you.

We’re the sun and the moon
We’re the old and the new
You’re young and brilliant
I’m tried and true
And there’s nothin’ I’d rather do
Than be a cowboy for you.I

And when it’s time for me to go
I don’t want you feelin’ lost and low
‘Cause the sweetest thing I ever knew
Was bein’ a cowboy for you.

The sweetest thing I ever knew
Was bein’ your cowboy….


Listen to the song here.