Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other

Sublette stated that the song is based on his experiences growing up in Portales, New Mexico: "I sat down at the piano and ... remembered what it felt like to feel different as a teenager, and the culture at that time, and I started to put those two things together and the song wrote itself". while living with his wife in Manhattan next to a gay country bar on Christopher Street called Boots and Saddles. He explains, "Gay life in 1981 was very vibrant in those days. It was part of the culture of the city and cowboy imagery is a part of gay iconography." He wrote the song with Nelson's voice in mind: "I was at the beginning of my songwriting career ... and used to like writing songs for my favorite voices. I've been a Willie fan since the '60s." David Nahmod, however, stated that he felt the lyrics maintain currency and say "a lot about gender identity and heterosexual elitism"; "The song aims to show Mr. Nelson's support for gays, particularly to conservative country-music fans", ==Willie Nelson's version==

Nelson received a tape of the song from Saturday Night Live Band bassist Tony Garnier after performing on the show in the mid to late 1980s. According to Sublette, "Willie took it from there" Nelson says, "I thought it was the funniest goddamn song I'd ever heard. I had it on the bus for 20 years, and people would come in and I'd play it. When Brokeback Mountain come out, it just seemed like a good time to kick it out of the closet." There were plans to release the song on a future album and filming for the video featuring Broken Lizard Comedy Troupe occurred at Dallas' gay cowboy bar, the Round Up Saloon (in Oak Lawn), in February 2006. Nelson's publicist describes the release of the song, which debuted on Howard Stern's satellite radio show: Since everyone is talking about the acclaimed film Brokeback Mountain and its Academy Award nominations, Valentine's Day seemed like the right time to let [the song] be heard. Nelson appeared on the movie's soundtrack with the traditional "He Was a Friend of Mine", Nelson himself described the release in a prepared statement to The Dallas Morning News: The song was also well received by critics. Pitchfork Media's Stephen M. Deusner rated the song four out of four stars despite calling it "even more of a stunt than his reggae album" (2005's Countryman). Saying that the song sounds written by Nelson, and that his performance raises the piece above the level of a cheap gag, he felt that it adds "a whole new level of complexity to the outlaw mythology Willie helped to cultivate in the 70s." Nelson also says that he has received very few negative reactions: Every now and then somebody might get a little offended. It's got bad language in it, so I just don't do it in my shows. Anybody wants to hear it can hear it on iTunes. But you know people are listenin' to it, likin' it. Every now and then somebody don't like it, but that's okay. Similar to years ago, when the hippie thing come out and I started growin' my hair and puttin' the earring in, I got a little flak here and there. PlanetOut offered the opinion that Nelson's fan base is secure and broad enough (including "hippies, rednecks and outlaws young and old") to take risks with LGBT-themed songs and soundtracks, while the WXBX station manager pointed out that Nelson has not been a mainstream country star for a while. "straight-faced", According to Sublette, "the Monday and Tuesday strip consisted of my lyrics and dramatizing listeners' response to my lyrics. What a compliment!" ==Sources==