A tall handsome stranger rode into town
With fire in his eyes burning red as sundown
His boots were all dusty, his coat open wide
Six ways of dying hung low on his sideHe went in the town hall asking for me
They told him that I was still town deputy
I sent him to prison to pay for his crime
He killed a guard on the Sante Fe lineHe spread word around town that my time had come
My notch was already carved on his gun
He's laughing and braggin and having his fun
It's all a show for he knows I won't runThat night in silence the town was asleep
I sat by my window and looked down the street
I wished in my heart that he would just ride away
I hated to face him next sunup that dayI met him at sunup, the crowd gathered round
Waitin and watching for one to go down
He grabbed for his six gun, tryin his best
He cursed as my bullet went deep in his chestHe stood there a moment and looked all around
Slowly and lifeless he fell to the ground
The stranger's my brother, born an outlaw
He must have forgotton I taught him to drawThe whole town was waiting and I was alone
The blood that I spilled was just like my own
When she hears this story, how Mother will cry
Brother 'gainst brother and one had to dieTo die
To die
Songwriters
HENRY DORROUGHPublished by
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC Song Discussions is protected by U.S. Patent 9401941. Other patents pending.