Thursday; July 17, 2008
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Popularized by Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard in 1983
Written in 1972 by:
Townes Van Zandt
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Popularized by Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard in 1983
Written in 1972 by:
Townes Van Zandt
Pancho & Lefty
Living on the road my friend
was gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
and your breath's as hard as kerosene
and your breath's as hard as kerosene
You weren't your mama's only boy
but her favorite one it seems
but her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
and sank into your dreams
and sank into your dreams
Pancho was a bandit boy
his horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
for all the honest world to feel
for all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know
on the deserts down in Mexico
on the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin' words
ah but that's the way it goes
ah but that's the way it goes
All the Federals say
they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away
out of kindness I suppose
out of kindness I suppose
Lefty he can't sing the blues
all night long like he used to
all night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south
ended up in Lefty's mouth
ended up in Lefty's mouth
Day they laid poor Pancho low
Lefty split for Ohio
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go
there ain't nobody knows
there ain't nobody knows
All the Federals say
they could've had him any day
We only let him slip away
out of kindness I suppose
out of kindness I suppose
[ guitar Bridge]
The poets tell how Pancho fell
and Lefty's living in a cheap hotel
The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold
and so the story ends we're told
and so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true
but save a few for Lefty too
but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do
and now he's growing old
( All the Federals say
they could've had him any day )
and now he's growing old
( All the Federals say
they could've had him any day )
We only let him go so long
out of kindness I suppose
A few great Federals say
could've had him any day
out of kindness I suppose
A few great Federals say
could've had him any day
We only let him go so long
out of kindness I suppose
out of kindness I suppose
Editor’s Note:
Pancho and Lefty is a folk song written by Townes Van Zandt.
Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, ‘The Late Great Townes Van Zandt’. Emmylou Harris then covered the song for her 1977 album, ‘Luxury Liner’ and the song became a number one Country hit in 1983 when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson adopted it as the title track of their duet album ‘Pancho & Lefty’.
The song tells the story of a Mexican bandit named Pancho and a more enigmatic character, Lefty. The song tells of Pancho's death and implies that he was betrayed by his associate Lefty who was paid off by the Mexican Federales.
Although many people, initially, assume that the song is about the famous Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, Van Zandt has denied this, and the lyrics are not easily reconciled with the historic details of Villa's life and death.
Lesser known ‘covers’ of this tune were recorded by Hoyt Axton, Bob Dylan, Storyhill, Dick Gaughan, Delbert McClinton, Old & In The Way, Todd Menton, Richard Dobson and Gillian Welsh & David Rawlings.
Thank you, kindly.
LARRY CURTIS SPURLOCK
1 comment:
finally a decent song on here.
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