Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Performers (Show Theme)
Lukas Nelson & Shooter Jennings
Premiere Date
1 April 2016
Final Episode Date
24 January 2020
Total Episodes
80 (4 Seasons/8 Parts)
Network
Netflix
Genre
Sitcom / Comedy-Drama
The Ranch Theme Song Lyrics
Cowboys ain’t easy to love and they’re harder to hold
And they’d rather give you a song than diamonds or gold
Lonestar belt buckles and old faded Levis
And each night begins a new day
And if you don’t understand him and he don’t die young
You’ll probably just ride away
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don’t let ’em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make ’em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys
They’ll never stay home and they’re always alone
Even with someone they love
Cowboys like smoky old pool rooms, clear mountain mornings
Little warm puppies and children, girls of the night
And them that don’t know him won’t like him
And them that do sometimes won’t know how to take him
He ain’t wrong, he’s just different but his pride won’t let him
Do things to make you think he’s right
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys
Don’t let ’em pick guitars and drive them old trucks
Make ’em be doctors and lawyers and such
Mamas, don’t let your babies grow up to be cowboys
They’ll never stay home and they’re always alone
Even with someone they love
Behind the Music: Meaning & Story
The The Ranch theme song is a poignant cover of the country classic “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” While the song was originally made world-famous by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson in 1978, the version used for the Netflix series is performed by their sons, Lukas Nelson and Shooter Jennings. This passing of the torch perfectly mirrors the show’s focus on generational legacy and the complex relationships between fathers and sons.
Premiering on April 1, 2016, The Ranch follows Colt Bennett (Ashton Kutcher) as he returns home to help his father Beau (Sam Elliott) and brother Rooster (Danny Masterson) run the family cattle ranch in Garrison, Colorado. The song’s honest lyrics about the pride, stubbornness, and isolation of the cowboy life provide a thematic backbone for the series. It highlights the “different” nature of ranch life—where pride often gets in the way of doing what is “right,” a recurring conflict for the Bennett men.
Created by Don Reo and Jim Patterson, the show ran for 80 episodes, concluding on January 24, 2020. Throughout its run, the theme song remained an essential part of its identity, bridging the gap between traditional multi-cam sitcom humor and the grit of a modern Western drama. The soundtrack, curated with the help of composer Ryeland Allison, helped cement the show as a authentic tribute to rural American life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who sings the version of the theme heard in The Ranch?
The theme is performed by Lukas Nelson (son of Willie Nelson) and Shooter Jennings (son of Waylon Jennings).
When did the final episode of The Ranch air?
The series concluded with its final part on January 24, 2020.
What is the significance of the song’s lyrics to the show?
The lyrics warn that cowboys are “harder to hold” and “always alone,” which reflects the romantic struggles and emotional distance often displayed by the lead characters, particularly Beau and Colt.
