About The Song
“Cowboys Like Us” is a mid-tempo country track recorded by George Strait for his twenty-second studio album, Honkytonkville. The album was released on June 10, 2003, by MCA Nashville Records. The song was written by Nashville songwriters Bob DiPiero and Anthony Smith, with production handled by Tony Brown and George Strait himself.
The track portrays modern-day cowboys riding motorcycles (“steel horses with wheels”) on road trips to Mexico, emphasizing camaraderie, freedom, and a carefree lifestyle. It runs approximately 3 minutes and 39 seconds in its album version. Honkytonkville marked Strait’s continued dominance in traditional country music during the early 2000s, featuring a blend of honky-tonk and neotraditional sounds.
“Cowboys Like Us” was released as the second single from the album in August 2003, following “Tell Me Something Bad About Tulsa,” which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The single debuted on the chart and climbed to No. 2 on December 13, 2003, held off from the top spot by Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar.” This marked another strong chart performance in Strait’s career, adding to his record-breaking string of hits.
The album Honkytonkville also produced two other singles: “My Infinite Love” (did not chart highly) and the title track-inspired material, but “Cowboys Like Us” became one of its standout tracks. The album itself peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Songwriters Bob DiPiero and Anthony Smith were established hitmakers; DiPiero has credits on numerous No. 1 songs for artists like Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire, while Smith co-wrote hits such as “Run” for George Strait earlier in 2001. No official music video was produced for the single, consistent with Strait’s preference for audio-focused promotions during that era.
By 2003, George Strait had already amassed over 50 No. 1 hits on various country charts, solidifying his status as the “King of Country.” “Cowboys Like Us” remains a fan favorite in live performances, often included in setlists during his tours, including later stadium shows.
Video
Lyric
I take off time to time
With those crazy friends of mine
Head out on steel horses
With wheels and we ride
We burn up that road to old Mexico
Blend in with the desert
Just we amigos
And we rollCowboys like us sure do have fun
Racin’ the wind, chasin’ the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like usWe talk about livin’, babies, and women
All that we’ve lost and all we’ve been givin’
We sing about true love, lie about things we ain’t done
Drink one more cold one, come mornin’ get up
And we rollCowboys like us sure do have fun
Racin’ the wind, chasin’ the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like usCowboys like us sure do have fun
Racin’ the wind, chasin’ the sun
Take the long way around back to square one
Today we’re just outlaws out on the run
There’ll be no regrets, no worries and such
For cowboys like usCowboys like us