Tim McGraw x cowboy like me

Listening to Tim McGraw is a ticket back to my high school days. The themes of young love, high school sweethearts and the recognition that many of these important “first loves” will not evolve into forever loves–a brief shoutout to my parents who are high school sweethearts who beat the odds, and remain happily married 40 years later!

Admittedly, I had not listened to Taylor’s debut album in several years. Listening to it now as a 35-year-old, Taylor’s country twang and heartfelt lyrics are incredibly endearing. I can feel the pure and innocent nature of this love story in a way that I would not have as an 18-year-old. The song begins and ends with the same lyric:

🎶 He said the way my blue eyes shined

Put those Georgia stars to shame that night

I said “That’s a lie” 🎶

I think this is quite interesting as it exemplifies the (at times) over-the-top and romanticized nature of teenage love as well as their inexperience with love–with rom coms and fairytales likely role modeling what they believe romance and relationships should look like. If you were in high school when A Walk To Remember with Shane West and Mandy Moore came out in theatres, you know exactly what I’m talking about!

Regardless, I think many of us can look back to relationships from our youth and relate; and it is this relatable quality of Taylor’s music that makes it so powerful. She paints pictures that feel personal and universal at the same time. And while that younger version of Taylor has now grown up, her memories of teenage love and dreamy sentiments will remain frozen in time; allowing future generations to appreciate this love story in ways that some of us cynical grownups no longer can. I personally cannot wait for the Taylor’s Version of this album, as it will most certainly reignite the spark for this long ago era!

Switching gears, cowboy like me was included in Taylor’s ninth studio album, Evermore. When you put the lyrics of these two songs side by side, her growth and development from a small town girl in high school to becoming a wildly successful singer/song writer is clear; and with several romantic relationships under her belt, her insights about romance and relationships are more complex. This is not meant as a criticism, rather acknowledgement of how Taylor has matured. And let’s be honest, what else could we have expected from a 15-year-old, with limited life experience? She was wrting from the perspective of where she was at, during that stage in her life.

For me, one of the most contrasting differences between Tim McGraw and cowboy like me is the way in which Taylor views love. Taylor refers to herself and the love interest in question as being cowboys and bandits, telling the story of two individuals that use the masquerade of being in love to take advantage of others. There is also an awareness of the risk or danger of truly falling in love that is not always evident in her earlier work. She still manages to fall for her cowboy despite efforts not to, and again there is an understanding that she could get hurt as a result.

🎶 It could be love

We could be the way forward

And I know I’ll pay for it 🎶

In cowboy like me there is a strong narrative about love being a long con, the naive notion that love is forever–but in reality, all relationships will end, either by way of heart break (e.g. a break up); or until “death do us part”. Albeit more subtle, I would argue that themes of being fooled or conned also exist in Tim McGraw. The earlier referenced lyric about Taylor’s sparkling blue eyes can be viewed as a corny pick-up line, said to sway her into falling for the boy. It wasn’t until I began comparing both songs that I questioned the Chevy truck “that had a tendency of gettin’ stuck on back roads at night” , which could suggest that the boy orchestrated or staged this scene in order to have more time alone, and sweep Taylor off her feet. The obvious assumption would be that the boy is being romantic, while a more cynical point of view would be that he is being manipulative and trying to charm her, or pull the wool over those starry blue eyes.

The final verse of cowboy like me offers two possible endings, which again all comes down to the listener’s point of view. Taylor sings:

🎶 And I’m never gonna love again

I’m never gonna love again

Mm, mm, oh, oh

I’m never gonna love again 🎶

I have seen commentary from other Swifties that they believe this to mean the cowboy is “the one”, or that Taylor and her cowboy get their fairytale ending. However, playing devil’s advocate, I question whether these lyrics suggest that she fell for his con and ended up having her heart broken; and so, she vows to never fall in love again.

As I reflect on the similarities and contrasts between Tim McGraw and cowboy like me, I’m struck by how Taylor’s perspective on love has evolved over the years–from the innocent idealism of youth to the complex, sometimes cynical views shaped by experience.