Cowboy is the eighth studio album by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released on 31 March 1997 by Mute Records. In the United States, it was released by Madonna's former label Maverick Records. Cowboy was produced by Gareth Jones and Neil McLellan and marked the band's return to more simplistic three-minute synth-pop music.
After disappointing sales and chart placing of their previous studio album, Erasure, Cowboy returned the duo to the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart and it contains three singles (two of which hit the UK top 30). In the US, Cowboy greatly improved Erasure's Billboard 200 peak over their previous album, and first single "In My Arms" gave them another Hot 100 entry. Sales also improved in Germany, where Cowboy peaked at number thirty-four.
The album contains eleven Vince Clarke/Andy Bell originals in its UK version. For its US release, the album artwork was changed slightly, the original version of "In My Arms" was replaced with a slightly different US mix and two bonus tracks were added: a cover versionofBlondie's "Rapture" (with Clarke providing the rap); and a version of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "Magic Moments" originally recorded by Perry Como that Erasure had contributed to the Lord of Illusions soundtrack.
Erasure embarked on another major tour of the UK and US to promote this album, in their trademark style it contained elaborate stage settings and costumes (including Clarke dressed as a guitar-playing cactus).
Subsequent to their acquisition of Erasure's back catalog, and in anticipation of the band's 30th anniversary, BMG commissioned reissues of all previously released UK editions of Erasure albums up to and including 2007's Light at the End of the World. All titles were pressed and distributed by Play It Again Sam on 180-gram vinyl and shrinkwrapped with a custom anniversary sticker.
