About the song
Few artists have captured the soul of country music as authentically and consistently as **George Strait**. With a voice that feels like home and a knack for storytelling that cuts straight to the heart, Strait has carved out a legendary career by staying true to the roots of the genre. One of his most emotionally resonant songs, **I Can Still Make Cheyenne · George Strait**, exemplifies everything that makes him a timeless figure in American music.
Released in 1996 as part of his *Blue Clear Sky* album, **I Can Still Make Cheyenne** is a masterclass in minimalism and emotional weight. The song tells the story of a rodeo cowboy who calls home only to find that his partner has reached her breaking point—she’s tired of the uncertainty, the danger, and the distance that his lifestyle demands. As she tells him she’s moving on, he barely pauses before replying, “Well, I’ll be gone with the morning light… I can still make Cheyenne.” That one line encapsulates the entire emotional center of the song: quiet resignation, heartbreak, and a man who has grown too used to choosing the road over relationships.
What makes **I Can Still Make Cheyenne · George Strait** so powerful isn’t just the storyline—it’s the *way* it’s told. The production is lean and clean, allowing the steel guitar and fiddle to shine through, adding just the right dose of melancholy without ever feeling overwrought. Strait’s voice is calm and steady, almost detached, which only amplifies the pain beneath the surface. There’s no melodrama here, just a simple truth: some people choose the life they know, even when it costs them the people they love.
For older listeners, particularly those who have experienced life’s hard choices or watched loved ones walk away in pursuit of their own dreams, this song hits a tender nerve. **George Strait** doesn’t just sing about heartbreak—he understands it. And in **I Can Still Make Cheyenne**, he delivers a story that’s not just country—it’s deeply human.
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
