French Cowboy - 'Girl'

Thursday I'm in Love....a chance to share some of my favourite songs and memories...yee-haw!

French Cowboys, nice chaps!

French Cowboy - 'Girl' (2010)

Since I'm usually in work first on my inhumanely early morning shift, it gives me the privilege of a) making myself and no one else a cup of coffee and b) choosing my radio station, which, on this day, was French Radio London. I enjoy listening at that time as it's an eclectic and continuous mix of chilled Anglo and Francophile music (I have found a number of fantastic tracks as a result), the perfect way to help me ease my way into the morning, that is until the rest of my colleagues come in. FRL was responsible for introducing this gold nugget of a track to me from French outfit, French Cowboy. An instant hit for me, 'Girl' is bit of a low key psychedelic groove which was perfect for my waking brain and is taken from the band's third album, (Isn't My Bedroom) a Masterpiece.


The name of the band leads me conveniently to an uncomfortable episode whilst working for Air France at Heathrow a good few years back. Despite being half French and Old Pa championing the movie Shane all my life, I never particularly felt like a cowboy. That was until charity superstar, Pudsey Bear and his Children in Need posse rolled into town, setting up a fundraising rodeo ride just outside our work restroom.


Horrified with the potential for making a public display of myself, which I seem to have a knack of, I spent the duration of my shift slinking into the shadows avoiding eye contact with Pudsey. It was fairly easy to do at first as the mechanical bull ride drew quite a large crowd from workers and passengers alike but alas it wasn't to last. Our shift supervisor decided to do her bit for charity by volunteering some staff forward to test their mettle as a cowboy. Of course I was up first.


"What!?" I protested.



To which a collective, "C'mon, it's for the kids man!" was blurted out in response from my colleagues.


Oh well, who am I to refuse? I paid my pound, nodded my head to Pudsey in acknowledgment and mounted my bête noire. "I might as well go down in style" I thought, "I'm gonna John Wayne this bitch, one handed."


It's probably a fair reflection that my first and last bucking bronco experience lasted a total time of 4 pt 6 seconds as I spectacularly went arse over tit onto the safety mats below. A loud 'rrrriiiiipppp' followed as a Grand Canyon sized gash appeared along the crotch of my hideous polyester slacks, completing my misery. A roar of laughter erupted as I tried in vain to style it out, even noticing a mocking Pudsey Bear silently belly laughing as you see these characters do on TV. Needless to say I spent the rest of my shift behind a desk dreaming of an Alan Ladd style showdown with Pudsey Bear....it's ok it'll all be for charity. The life of a French Cowboy probably not for me.

The tear was like this big, yo!

Children in need is on November 15th this year and you can check the BBC website here.....I'm watching you Pudsey!

Have a listen to some of my favourite tracks on my Spotify playlist below or click here to read some more posts.