“Like a Cowboy”
Randy Houser
Written by Randy Houser and Brice Long
It’s hard not to be impressed by Randy Houser’s resilience. His ability to build an audience with a reasonably country sound, all while switching from the majors to an independent label, is pretty amazing.
So there’s a ring of truth to his declaration of being “Like a Cowboy”, always getting back in the saddle. And, of course he sings the heck out of it, because he’s still got a powerful voice full of character and authentic twang.
I’d have liked it better if the music behind him didn’t think it was backing Kid Rock’s “Cowboy”, but given what the dominant sounds are at radio today, it’s not as bad as it could’ve been.
Grade: B
I like Houser’s voice and the lyrics to this song. I wish they had stripped the production down at the end so we could get the great emotion that Houser delivers throughout the song. I would love it if this was just Houser and his guitar. His voice is so good he doesn’t need the whole MGM production behind it. It is as though they don’t trust his voice. But from the first seconds of the song he hooks you.
I remember when I really liked Houser’s music. I’ll hold my breath until that comes around again, because I expect it will someday.
Love Houser’s talent obviously, though like you I agree the production is WAY too 80’s Rock ballad for my liking.
It does get a little noisy. “Like a Cowboy” debuted on the media base survey at #39 on 8/4/14. It’s still on the survey at #3. Seems unusual to be on that long.
Yet another song I wish I liked more than I do. This one just feels too over-dramatic for me, and I agree with the rest of the commenters that it gets a bit noisy. Also, after Houser has released songs like “Running Out Of Moonlight” and “Goodnight Kiss”, there’s no way I’m buying that he’s any kind of “cowboy”.
That last note he hits at the end, that last “Like a Cowboooooo…..y”, is pretty impressive, though. I’ll give him that.
Bob, that’s not at all unusual anymore. Chart runs tend to be a lot longer in recent years, especially for B and C-list artists. Of the songs currently on the chart, this has been there the longest (39 weeks), but Brett Eldrege’s “Mean To Me” has been on for 31, Kristian Bush’s “Trailer Hitch” 30.
I think this would have been a smash if Jason Aldean had cut it years ago, before he went downhill with Dirt Road Anthem and all that followed.
Really like this song and LOVE Houser’s voice. There’s only been one song – and I can’t even remember what it was called – that Houser’s voice hasn’t been able to save because it was so over-produced. Hopefully, he will try to get more control over the sound and production of his future songs. Until then, he can at least save the good ones.
The only knock I have on Houser’s voice is sometimes the production leads him to seem like he is yelling rather than singing, which may sound weird, but was particularly evident on Whistlin Dixie.
Josh Turner’s “Lay Low” has also been on the charts for a while. It is just the nature of the beast for the non A-list singers.
I’m going to be generous and give this a B+.
While I do agree the production would have been better-served by being less indebted to 80s arena rock, it is somewhat understandable why that is the case and, thankfully, it didn’t drown out the true highlight of this track: Randy Houser’s passionate, aching vocals.
It’s pretty solid in all areas, with no egregious weaknesses. The production is imperfect but serviceable, the lyrics are honest (note he’s using cowboy as a simile, and these are easily relatable), and vocally this is Houser’s best performance on a radio single since at least “In God’s Time”
Though I still consider his debut solo single “Anything Goes” his overall strongest to date, this is nonetheless easily among his best, and makes me cautiously optimistic about what his forthcoming fourth album will offer. Here’s hoping he takes chances more often on emotive efforts like this and less on, say, duplicates of “How Country Feels”.