The Last Cowboy by Jamey Johnson is a poignant song about the changing times in the world of country music. Through lyrics that touch on the nostalgia of old pickup trucks, boots and straw hats, and traditional country music themes like three-quarter time and jukeboxes, Johnson laments the loss of the cowboy persona that was once at the heart of country music. He references Waylon Jennings, a country music icon whose style was characterized by a blend of rock and roll and traditional country music, and mourns the fact that he can't find anyone to buy into sad country songs anymore. Johnson raises the question of who will carry on the tradition of cowboy songs and the cowboy way of life now that it seems to be fading away. The song features references to classic cowboy actors like John Wayne, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers, who are now just memories of a time gone by. Johnson asks who will be left to ride away when the last cowboy is gone, suggesting that the end of the cowboy era may mean the end of something good and pure in the world of country music. Overall, The Last Cowboy is a tribute to a way of life and a sound that is disappearing, and a plea to keep the spirit of classic country music alive.
