Toby Keith - Should've Been A Cowboy - Lyrics Meaning

The lyrics to Should've Been a Cowboy by Toby Keith describe the dreams and ambitions of a man who did not follow the road that his heart would have led him on. Looking back on his life, he now realizes that conforming to society and the typical life did not suit him the way he thought it would have. He is now wishing for a second chance to experience freedom and to be able to live his life underneath the "desert stars" with a dream in his eye and a prayer in his heart.

The first verse of the song refers to the popular television show Gunsmoke, which he must have watched when he was younger and first dreaming about his life as a fellow cowboy. The lyrics of this song continue to explore the exciting life of a cowboy versus the "same thing, different day" mentality of the "civilized" life. He dreams of his side kick with a funny name, being a part of the Texas Rangers, and sitting around the campfire singing those stereotypical songs. Having these dreams of the way life could have been keep him from losing his mind in the present.

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