Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"
Song by Ed Bruce
from the album Ed Bruce
Released	November 15, 1975
Genre	Country, outlaw country
Length	3:08
Label	United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Ed Bruce, Patsy Bruce

"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" is a song off of American country musician Ed Bruce's third self-titled studio album. The song was released on November 15, 1975. The song was able to make it to #15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.^[1]

The song was named as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time by the Western Writers of America.^[2]

A very popular cover by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson was released in January 1978. It appeared on their 1978 duet album Waylon & Willie. Jennings and Nelson's version able to make it to #1 on the Hot Country Singles chart and #42 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[3][4] Their version won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 1979 Grammy Award.^[5]

The song is about warns mothers to not let their children grow up to be cowboys because of the hard way of life. It tells them that they should let their children be doctors, lawyers or some other job.

References

1. "Ed Bruce - Hot Country Singles Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
2. "The Top 100 Western Songs". Western Writers of America. Archived from the original on October 19, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
3. "Waylon Jennings - Hot Country Singles Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
4. "Waylon Jennings - Hot 100 History". Billboard. Retrieved July 31, 2023.
5. "21st Annual Grammy Awards: Winners & Nominees". Grammy Awards. Retrieved July 31, 2023.

Other websites

• "Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson version" on YouTube