Should 've Been a cowboy - wikipedia Should 've Been a cowboy `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' Single by Toby Keith from the album Toby Keith B - side `` Some Kinda Good Kinda Hold on Me '' Released February 8, 1993 Format 7 '' CD cassette Recorded Genre Country Length 3 : 30 Label Polygram / Mercury 864990 Songwriter ( s ) Toby Keith Producer ( s ) Nelson Larkin Harold Shedd Toby Keith singles chronology `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' ( 1993 ) `` He Ai n't Worth Missing '' ( 1993 ) `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' ( 1993 ) `` He Ai n't Worth Missing '' ( 1993 ) `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Toby Keith. It was released on February 8, 1993 as his debut single and the first from his self - titled debut album. On June 5, 1993, the song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts. It also peaked at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a minor crossover hit. It has received more than three million spins on country radio, making it the most - played country song of the 1990s. The song was formerly a staple following sporting events at Oklahoma State University ( home of the Cowboys ), often played over the venue 's PA system several times in succession as fans emptied the stadium or arena. Contents 1 Content 2 Music video 3 Other media 4 Chart positions 4.1 Year - end charts 5 Certifications 6 References 7 External links Content The lyrics romanticize the cowboy lifestyle through references to old Westerns. The first verse references Gunsmoke, in which cowboy hero Marshall Dillon never settled down with love interest Miss Kitty. The second verse tells of his own adventures if the narrator were a cowboy : having `` a sidekick with a funny name '' ( possibly a reference to sidekicks like Tonto or Festus or Gordito ), travelling west to California ( including the historical quote `` Go West, young man '' ), hunting down Western outlaw Jesse James, joining up with the Texas Rangers, and so on. The chorus refers to famous singing cowboys Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and lists common patterns depicted in Westerns such as six shooters ( revolvers ) and cattle drives. Music video `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' was Keith 's first music video. It was filmed in Las Cruces, New Mexico and was directed by Marc Ball and premiered on CMT in March 1993. A second version of the video was made featuring clips of the 1992 Dallas Cowboys. Other Media The song is available as downloadable content on the music video game, Rock Band. Chart positions `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' debuted at number 69 on the Hot Country Songs chart for the week of March 6, 1993. It became Keith 's first number one single on the chart dated June 5, 1993, remaining there for two weeks. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on November 28, 2012, almost twenty years after its release. Chart ( 1993 ) Peak position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) US Billboard Hot 100 93 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) Year - end charts Chart ( 1993 ) Position Canada Country Tracks ( RPM ) 73 US Country Songs ( Billboard ) 39 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) Gold 500,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone References Jump up ^ Shelburne, Craig ( 1 March 2007 ). `` Toby Keith Jams, Notches 50 Million Airplays ''. CMT. Retrieved 4 October 2010. Jump up ^ McDonnell, Brandy ( 10 October 2009 ). `` Toby Keith discusses his `` weird connection '' to OU and OSU ``. newsok.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2012. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Toby Keith -- Should 've Been a Cowboy ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Country Tracks : Issue 0991. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. June 26, 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Toby Keith Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Toby Keith Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` RPM Top 100 Country Tracks of 1993 ''. RPM. December 18, 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Best of 1993 : Country Songs ''. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 1993. Retrieved August 5, 2013. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Toby Keith -- Should % 27ve Been a Cowboy ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 12, 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Toby Keith Studio albums Toby Keith Boomtown Blue Moon Dream Walkin ' How Do You Like Me Now ? ! Pull My Chain Unleashed Shock'n Y'all Honkytonk University White Trash with Money Big Dog Daddy That Do n't Make Me a Bad Guy American Ride Bullets in the Gun Clancy 's Tavern Hope on the Rocks Drinks After Work 35 MPH Town Compilation albums Greatest Hits Volume One 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection : The Best of Toby Keith Greatest Hits 2 35 Biggest Hits The Bus Songs Christmas albums Christmas to Christmas A Classic Christmas Singles `` Should 've Been a Cowboy '' `` He Ai n't Worth Missing '' `` A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action '' `` Wish I Did n't Know Now '' `` Who 's That Man '' `` Upstairs Downtown '' `` You Ai n't Much Fun '' `` Big Ol ' Truck '' `` Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You '' `` A Woman 's Touch '' `` Me Too '' `` We Were in Love '' `` I 'm So Happy I Ca n't Stop Crying '' ( with Sting ) `` Dream Walkin ' '' `` Double Wide Paradise '' `` Getcha Some '' `` How Do You Like Me Now ? ! '' `` Country Comes to Town '' `` You Should n't Kiss Me Like This '' `` I 'm Just Talkin ' About Tonight '' `` I Wanna Talk About Me '' `` My List '' `` Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue ( The Angry American ) '' `` Who 's Your Daddy ? '' `` Rock You Baby '' `` Beer for My Horses '' `` I Love This Bar '' `` American Soldier '' `` Whiskey Girl '' `` Stays in Mexico '' `` Mockingbird '' `` Honkytonk U '' `` As Good as I Once Was '' `` Big Blue Note '' `` Get Drunk and Be Somebody '' `` A Little Too Late '' `` Crash Here Tonight '' `` High Maintenance Woman '' `` Love Me If You Can '' `` Get My Drink On '' `` She 's a Hottie '' `` She Never Cried in Front of Me '' `` God Love Her '' `` Lost You Anyway '' `` American Ride '' `` Cryin ' for Me ( Wayman 's Song ) '' `` Every Dog Has Its Day '' `` Trailerhood '' `` Bullets in the Gun '' `` Somewhere Else '' `` Made in America '' `` Red Solo Cup '' `` Beers Ago '' `` I Like Girls That Drink Beer '' `` Hope on the Rocks '' `` Drinks After Work '' `` Drunk Americans '' `` 35 MPH Town '' Related articles Discography Show Dog - Universal Music Krystal Keith Scotty Emerick Toby Keith 's I Love This Bar & Grill Broken Bridges ( soundtrack ) `` Slave to the Habit '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Should%27ve_Been_a_Cowboy&oldid=851214056 '' Categories : 1993 singles Toby Keith songs Debut singles Billboard Hot Country Songs number - one singles RPM Country Tracks number - one singles Songs written by Toby Keith Song recordings produced by Harold Shedd Mercury Records singles 1993 songs Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2013 Singlechart usages for Canadacountry Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 20 July 2018, at 20 : 42 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sings i should have been a cowboy
Answer: Toby Keith