i walked into the room with this title, and the song basically wrote itself. having an idea as visual as “cowboy in LA” is incredibly advantageous to the lyrical side of things. “palm trees square-dancin' under the moon” might be one of the most iconic lines i’ve ever written. LA is notorious for everyone looking the same and doing the same thing… chasing fame in their preferred or particular “lane.” the choruses are me inviting a girl to try something different… to maybe even get a little old fashioned with it. do you hear how the drums change on the bridge? when we wanna achieve this kind of sound, jake and i say “throw it under water.” put “oklahoma, it made a man out of me” on my tombstone.