Released: November 5, 2002
Featuring: Matchbox Twenty
Songwriter: Ed Bruce Patsy Bruce
Producer: James Stroud
[Chorus: Matchbox Twenty]
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
[Verse 1: Willie Nelson]
Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded Levis
And each night begins a new day
And if you don't understand him, and he don't die young
He'll probably just ride away
[Chorus: Matchbox Twenty & Willie Nelson]
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
[Verse 2: Matchbox Twenty]
Cowboys like smoky old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do
Sometimes won't know how to take him
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him
Do things to make you think he's right
[Chorus: Matchbox Twenty & Willie Nelson]
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don't let your cowboys grow up to be babies
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
They'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
[Verse 1: Willie Nelson]
Cowboys ain't easy to love and they're harder to hold
They'd rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded Levis
And each night begins a new day
And if you don't understand him, and he don't die young
He'll probably just ride away
[Chorus: Matchbox Twenty & Willie Nelson]
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
[Verse 2: Matchbox Twenty]
Cowboys like smoky old pool rooms and clear mountain mornings
Little warm puppies and children and girls of the night
Them that don't know him won't like him and them that do
Sometimes won't know how to take him
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him
Do things to make you think he's right
[Chorus: Matchbox Twenty & Willie Nelson]
Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks
Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don't let your cowboys grow up to be babies
'Cause they'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
They'll never stay home and they're always alone
Even with someone they love
Stars & Guitars
- Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Whiskey River (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Always on My Mind (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Dead Flowers (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Lonestar (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Stardust (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Don’t Fade Away (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- For What It’s Worth (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars)
- Stars & Guitars (2002)
- Roll Me Up
- Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On (Live 2004)
- One Time Too Many
- Señor (Tales of Yankee Power)
- Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off
- Embraceable You
- Who Put All My Ex’s in Texas
- Border Song
- Heartbreak Hotel
- Far Away Places (2013)
- Something
- As Time Goes By
- Spanish Eyes
- Don’t Give Up
- Heartland
- What Was It You Wanted
- Be There for You
- Dreams Come True
- Over You Again
- Moment of Forever
- The Bob Song
- Louisiana
- Gravedigger
- Keep Me from Blowing Away