High Steppin’ Cowboy

This is a song about an entertainer who plays the game of celebrity; crowds excited about their shows and seeing him on stage.  The irony is that the artist carries doubts and insecurities within himself.  He is flamboyant and confident on stage but starts to believe his own press.  But the truth is, he suffers from depression and self doubt and masks it with sleeping around.  His girlfriend/wife leaving him is of no consequence to him because of his own perceived fame and importance as a celebrity.  But fame can come and go as fast as it came.  He doesn’t see the writing on the wall as his popularity begins to dim and ticket sales dwindle.  His agent lands him another much less prestigious show billing because the entertainer is just a product the agent exploits for his own financial benefit.  But soon, like many other celebrities, the product’s popularity dies leaving the artist dropped by his agent leaving him forgotten, unemployed and alone once again.

I’ve personally seen this happen twice.  Mickey Dolenz, of the Monkees was performing solo in a parking lot, at a grand opening of a super market in California.   The other performer was Frankie Valli performing at an amusement park near Richmond, Virginia.  In both instances, there were few people watching the performance.  Mickey Dolenz’ case was the worst of the two.