Midnight Music: "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done" by Sonny and Cher


1971's "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done" is a spaghetti western anthem in need of a movie. With banjo, brass, and a wah-wah guitar that's feels straight from the Spanish deserts by way of Italy, it's so evocative of a certain kind of movie that it becomes impossible to distinguish where art and influence meet. The song also features cunning and suggestive lyrics that serve as a nice counter-point to the wholesome image the duo were projecting each week in their variety show. From the album All I Ever Need is You, which has still not been released in its entirety on CD, this song is so evocative, so well-produced by Snuff Garrett (who specialized in country hits), it's hard not to love.

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