Big Iron by Marty Robbins

“Big Iron”

 

To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day

Hardly spoke to folks around him didn’t have too much to say

No one dared to ask his business no one dared to make a slip

For the stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

 

It was early in the morning when he rode into the town

He came riding from the south side slowly lookin’ all around

He’s an outlaw loose and running came the whisper from each lip

And he’s here to do some business with the big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

 

In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red

Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead

He was vicious and a killer though a youth of twenty four

And the notches on his pistol numbered one an nineteen more

One and nineteen more

 

Now the stranger started talking made it plain to folks around

Was an Arizona ranger wouldn’t be too long in town

He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead

And he said it didn’t matter he was after Texas Red

After Texas Red

 

Wasn’t long before the story was relayed to Texas Red

But the outlaw didn’t worry men that tried before were dead

Twenty men had tried to take him twenty men had made a slip

Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

 

The morning passed so quickly it was time for them to meet

It was twenty past eleven when they walked out in the street

Folks were watching from the windows every-body held their breath

They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death

About to meet his death

 

There was forty feet between them when they stopped to make their play

And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about today

Texas Red had not cleared leather fore a bullet fairly ripped

And the ranger’s aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

 

It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round

There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground

Oh he might have went on living but he made one fatal slip

When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

 

Big iron Big iron

 

When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip