Nov 19, 2021

Parker Graye “Cowboys Go” Song Review

Rising country singer-songwriter Parker Graye grew up in Orillia, Ontario, and now resides in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has spent time in both Canada and the United States co-writing over 60 songs from pop to country in Los Angeles and in Nashville. Her recent single “Last Time” has already exceeded 336,000 plays on Apple Music cementing her as an up-and-coming country music artist to watch.

With a remarkable ability to flawlessly turn profound emotions into masterfully cutting lyrics, Graye’s artistic sweet spot is the sad song. She doesn’t grate at the integrity of her realism by rounding heartbreaking edges with more palatable notions of optimism and faith. True to classic country roots, she offers the sadness of reality straight up with no chasers.

“Sure as the wind blows, love gon’ go / He’ll give you up for the open road / If he sees a sunset, he won’t stick around. Leave you in the dust and some tracks on the ground.”

“Cowboy Go” strikingly describes the dichotomous state of a country girl who knows better than to long for a cowboy but can’t help but get caught up in daydreams. Synchronously, this track captures the general state of modern dating. It isn’t just cowboys who go and that’s why this song will ring true for so many who are trying to find love in a world where “ghosting” has become commonplace. It seems crazy to keep chasing a dream hoping for different results but Graye points to our collective grasping to a slither of hope—so small, it’s easy for the listener to miss and for her to dismiss.

When talking about the new single, Graye shares, “My jaded, sad girl heart has been in love and let down many times and I often battle the push and pull of allowing myself to fall all the way in or not involving myself at all.” When making the track, Graye pushed herself to achieve a goal she set for herself: collaborate with more women. The song was produced by Kate Malone and mastered by Gabi Grella. “As I collaborated with more ladies during the pandemic, I started to realize the special connection and voice multiple females have in a room while working together, ” states Graye. “Knowing that this magic could go far beyond the writing room, I started to spend more time digging into female producers in the space and following their journeys on Instagram.”

“You’ve been talking ‘bout leaving for a few weeks now / There’s gotta be a reason why you ain’t skipped town / Damn, I hope it’s me but those words can’t leave my mouth / Now you say you want me, you’re swearing you’ll stay.”

The dreamy, Western instrumental haze creates the perfect backdrop for Graye’s sad heart that pumps hope despite her faithful acceptance that reality won’t live up to her dreams. Until her cowboy stays, Graye continues to show us that sad girls make the most beautiful music.

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