About the song
There’s something timeless about the music of **George Strait**. His voice carries the weight of experience, the easy confidence of a storyteller who doesn’t need to shout to be heard. And in his 1996 song **“I Can Still Make Cheyenne,”** he delivers one of country music’s most poignant and bittersweet narratives—a tale of love, loss, and the unbreakable pull of the open road.
At its heart, the song is about a cowboy who has dedicated his life to the rodeo, leaving behind the woman who once waited for him. But when he finally calls home, hoping to reconnect, he’s met with a quiet resignation—she’s already moved on. She tells him she’s found someone else, someone who is there for her in ways he never could be. His response? A simple, almost stoic acceptance: “Well, that’s alright, babe. I was headed that way.” And with that, he turns his attention back to the only constant in his life—the road ahead and the promise of Cheyenne.
What makes **“I Can Still Make Cheyenne”** so powerful isn’t just the story itself, but the way **George Strait** tells it. His delivery is understated, never overly dramatic, yet packed with emotion. The instrumentation is classic Strait—clean, uncluttered, and built around gentle steel guitar and a steady rhythm that mirrors the cowboy’s quiet resilience. Unlike so many heartbreak songs that wallow in regret, this one captures a different kind of sorrow—the kind that comes with knowing that some things were never meant to last.
For fans of traditional country, this song is a masterclass in storytelling. It’s not just about a cowboy and his choices; it’s about anyone who has ever prioritized a dream at the cost of love. And in true **George Strait** fashion, it leaves us with an image that lingers long after the final note: a lone rider, moving on not because he wants to, but because it’s the only life he knows.
Video
Lyrics
Her telephone rang ’bout a quarter to nine
She heard his voice on the other end of the line
She wondered what was wrong this time
She never knew what his calls might bring
With a cowboy like him, it could be anything
And she always expected the worst
In the back of her mind
He said, it’s cold out here and I’m all alone
Didn’t make the short go again and I’m coming home
I know I’ve been away too long
I never got a chance to write or call
And I know this rodeo has been hard on us all
But I’ll be home soon
And honey is there somethin’ wrong
She said, don’t bother comin’ home
By time you get here I’ll be long gone
There’s somebody new and he sure ain’t no rodeo man
He said, I’m sorry it’s come down to this
There’s so much about you that I’m gonna miss
But it’s alright baby
If I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
Gotta go now baby
If I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
He left that phone danglin’ off the hook
Then slowly turned around and gave it one last look
Then he just walked away
He aimed his truck toward that Wyoming line
With a little luck he could still get there in time
And in that Cheyenne wind he could still hear her say
She said, don’t bother comin’ home
By time you get here I’ll be long gone
There’s somebody new and he sure ain’t no rodeo man
He said, I’m sorry it’s come down to this
There’s so much about you that I’m gonna miss
But it’s alright baby
If I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
Gotta go now baby
If I hurry I can still make Cheyenne
She never knew what his calls might bring
With a cowboy like him, it could be anything
And she always expected the worst
In the back of her mind
