"Coca-Cola Cowboy" is a song written by Steve Dorff, Sandy Pinkard, Sam Atchley and Bud Dain, and recorded by American country music artist Mel Tillis. It was released in June 1979 as the first single from the album Mr. Entertainer. The song was featured in the film, Every Which Way but Loose, starring Clint Eastwood and the TV movie Bandit Goes Country (which also had Tillis in the film) starring Brian Bloom. It was Tillis' fifth number one on the U.S. country singles chart, where it spent one week at the top and a total of eleven weeks on the chart.[1]

"Coca-Cola Cowboy"
Single by Mel Tillis
from the album Mr. Entertainer
B-side"Cottonmouth"
ReleasedJune 1979
RecordedApril 1979
StudioGlaser Sound Studio, Nashville, Tennessee
GenreCountry, Outlaw Country, roots country, Classic Country
Length3:22
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Steve Dorff
Sandy Pinkard
Sam Atchley
Bud Dain
Producer(s)Jimmy Bowen
Mel Tillis singles chronology
"Send Me Down to Tucson"
(1979)
"Coca-Cola Cowboy"
(1979)
"Blind in Love"
(1979)

When Tillis performs the song in Every Which Way but Loose, one line of the lyrics is changed. The line "You've got an Eastwood smile and Robert Redford hair," is changed to "You've got a sexist smile and Robert Redford hair," probably to avoid referencing the film's star Clint Eastwood, who was in the audience as part of the film.

Charts edit

Weekly charts edit

Chart (1979) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2] 1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 3

Year-end charts edit

Chart (1979) Position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[3] 22

References edit

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 347.
  2. ^ "Mel Tillis Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  3. ^ "Hot Country Songs – Year-End 1979". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2021.