Looking for gunfighter songs

Subject: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: longwalker
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:04 PM

Hi I am also looking for songs about gunfighter or outlaws songs . you all helps so much please help again thank you

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:13 PM

How about "Along Came Jones . . ." Not explicitly a gun fighter, but it's implied. You can hear it on iTunes.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: meself
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:15 PM

Jesse James. Pretty Boy Floyd. John Wesley Harding. Stackalee/Stagger Lee.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Midchuck
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:15 PM

Guy Clark, "The Last Gunfighter Ballad".

And you need to get Marty Robbins' classic album, "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs." It came out in '59, but was reissued on CD some years ago.

Peter

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:17 PM

I'd check the cataloges of both Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins. Both have recoded LP's of gunfighter songs.

But my personal favorites are "The Devils Right Hand" by Steve Earl and "Me and My Uncle" by a varity of sources like the Grateful Dead.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:17 PM

Sonora's Death Row is my particular favorite. Me and My Uncle by John Phillips is also a dandy.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Azizi
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:18 PM

longwalker, check out this Mudcat thread Favorite Badman Ballads II. Since this is Part II, there must also be a Part I thread.

I posted an example of "Wild N***** Bill" on the Part II thread. Although I spelled the "n" word out then, I'm more reluctant to do so now.

Anyway, longwalker, "happy hunting" (if you'll pardon the pun).

-Azizi

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:20 PM

I think J. Cash also did a gunfighter themed album in the seventies.

"Don't Take Your Guns to Town" comes to mind.
"Johnny Yuma", the theme of "The Rebel" TV show, also.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:24 PM

Lazarus!

Especially performed by Badger in the Bag at Whitby many moons ago with Jim Eldon AND Debby McClatchy guesting. Can you imagine such a thing??

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 02:45 PM

Theme from "High Noon" and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and the ballad from "Cat Ballou."

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: topical tom
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:11 PM

This is the Doc Watson version, though not performed here by him, of "Tom Dooley." It's the version that I prefer.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Nehi
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:26 PM

All of these are good.

From "24 Gunfighter Ballads" CD

Blood On The Saddle- Tex Ritter
The Streets Of Laredo- Roy Rogers
Oklahoma Hills- Jack Guthrie
High Noon- Frankie Laine
Billy The Kid- Tex Ritter
Pistol Packin' Mama- Al Dexter   
Riders In The Sky- Sons Of The Pioneers
Fort Worth Jail- Tex Ritter
Birmingham Jail- Jimmy Wakeley
In The Jailhouse Now- Jimmie Rodgers
Hangman's Boogie- Cowboy Copas
The Man From Laramie- Al Martino

From "Authentic Outlaw Ballads" CD

Sam Bass
Jesse James
Boston Burglar
Wild Bill Jones
Tom Dula
Rambling Boy
Cole Younger

From "Outlaw Ballads - Legends and Lore" CD

Bad Lee Brown
Billy the Kid
John Hardy
Messin' With the Law
Hangman's Reel
Tom Sherman's Barroom
Poor Rounder.
Bully of the Town
Darling Corey,
Don't Let Your Deal Go Down,
Frankie and Johnny,
The Gambler,
The Hangman,
The Highwayman,
John Hardy,
Messin' With the Law,
Old Maid and the Burglar,
Otto Wood the Bandit,
Poor Rambler,
Quantrill,
The Rambling Boy,
Rose Connally,
Roy Bean,
Stagolee,
Tom Sherman's Barroom,

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:27 PM

Dave Carter's song 41 Thunderbird from the Drum Hat Buddha CD.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: BobKnight
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:47 PM

"Hurry Sundown" and "Gunsmoke" by southern rock band "The Outlaws."
The "Desperado" album by the Eagles.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: BobKnight
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:50 PM

Sorry almost forgot - "Ramblin Man" by the Allman Brothers - not quite a gunfighter ballad, but a great song and the gambler does end up on the "wrong end of a gun."

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: C. Ham
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 03:58 PM

Duncan and Brady (Dave Van Ronk and many others)
El Paso (Marty Robbins)
Claude Dallas (Tom Russell and Ian Tyson)

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,Maggie
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 04:34 PM

for the female side, try "Belle Starr" by Joni Harms

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Tiger
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 04:35 PM

My favorite song to play right now is "Billy Gray" by Norman Blake.

Planxty did a terrific version, though they titled it "True Love Knows No Season". Christy Moore was immediately attracted to it, saying it was the "... first time he'd ever heard a cowboy song in an Irish pub."

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 05:23 PM

from the database...midi tune also

THE LAVENDER COWBOY
(Harold Hersey)

He was only a lavender cowboy,
The hairs on his chest were two,
But he wished to follow the heroes
And fight like the he-men do.

But he was inwardly troubled
By a dream that gave him no rest,
That he'd go with his heroes in action
With only two hairs on his chest.

First he tried many a hair tonic.
'Twas rubbed in on him each night.
But still when he looked in the mirror
Those two hairs were ever in sight.

But with a spirit undaunted
He wandered out to fight,
Just like an old-time knight errant
To win combat for the right.

He battled for Red Nellie's honor
And cleaned out a holdup's nest
He died with his six guns a-smoking
With only two hairs on his chest.


(there are variations on the words...search the forum)

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 05:25 PM

My favorite is Cole Younger as sung by Mary McCaslin.

Dan

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Peace
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 05:26 PM

'And you need to get Marty Robbins' classic album, "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs." It came out in '59, but was reissued on CD some years ago.'

Also available is "MORE Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs."

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Amos
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 05:26 PM

Dang, Bill, I was just gonna add that--one of my favorites.

THere's also "I Got No Use Fer the Wimmin", q.v. in D.T.

A

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: The Vulgar Boatman
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 05:51 PM

Tom Paxton's "Outlaw" might help...

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Bobert
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 06:03 PM

Wesley S has allready suggested my top choice: Steve Earle's "Devil's Right Hand"... Great song... I used to perform it alot in the 90's... Emmy Lou Harris is quoted as saying it is one of the best songs ever written...

If yer not familiar with it, check it out...

B~

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 06:22 PM

Here's an old favorite from Marty Robbins' "Gunfighter Ballads" album, the more well-known song on which was "El Paso."


"Big Iron"/Marty Robbins


       BIG IRON
Am...Em...Am

       |C                                        |Am
To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day
       |C                                                |Am
Hardly spoke to folks around him didn't have too much to say
       |F                               |C
No one dared to ask his business no one dared to make a slip
                                          |Am
for the stranger there amongst them had a big iron on his hip
|F             |C
Big iron on his hip


       |C                                        |Am
It was early in the morning when he rode into the town
       |C                                           |Am
He came riding from the south side slowly lookin' all around
       |F                               |C
He's an outlaw loose and running came the whisper from each lip
                                           |Am
And he's here to do some business with the big iron on his hip
|F             |C
big iron on his hip


       |C                                              |Am
In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red
    |C                                              |Am
Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead
       |F                            |C
He was vicious and a killer though a youth of twenty four
                                       |Am
And the notches on his pistol numbered one an nineteen more
|F               |C
One and nineteen more


       |C                                              |Am
Now the stranger started talking made it plain to folks around
       |C                                     |Am
Was an Arizona ranger wouldn't be too long in town
       |F                         |C
He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead
                                    |Am
And he said it didn't matter he was after Texas Red
|F          |C
After Texas Red
       |C                                        |Am
Wasn't long before the story was relayed to Texas Red
       |C                                             |Am
But the outlaw didn't worry men that tried before were dead
       |F                           |C
Twenty men had tried to take twenty men had made a slip
                                        |Am
Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip
|F             |C
Big iron on his hip


    |C                                                |Am
The morning passed so quickly it was time for them to meet
       |C                                             |Am
It was twenty past eleven when they walked out in the street
          |F                               |C
Folks were watching from their windows every-body held their breath
                                  |Am
They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death
|F                |C
About to meet his death


          |C                                                      
There was forty feet between them when they stopped to make their
|Am
play
       |C                                              |Am
And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about to-day
      |F                                 |C
Texas Red had not cleared leather when a bullet fairly ripped
                                        |Am
And the ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip
|F             |C
Big iron on his hip


       |C                                          |Am
It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered round
      |C                                           |Am
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
      |F                               |C
Oh, he might have gone on living but he made one fatal slip
                                           |Am
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
|F             |C
Big iron on his hip



Big iron Big iron
       |C                                 |Am
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: BobKnight
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 06:52 PM

John Wesley Hardin - Bob Dylan

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Genie
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 07:19 PM

Who could forget The Limeliters' "modern gunfighter ballad" - "Gunslinger?"

"Nowadays there's no such thing as a bad cowboy - only a SICK one."

Ah, such wonderful lines! Such as:

"Gunslinger, gunslinger, why you act so strange?
When you were a child, did the Cheyenne and Sioux
Refuse to play nicely with you?
Did you come from a broken Home On The Range?"

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Genie
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 07:30 PM

Here are the lyrics and credits for The Limeliters' Gunslinger

A couple of minor lyric errors/modifications (e.g., "my darling" instead of "old buddy"), but otherwise pretty accurate.

Here's a different "Gunslinger" sung by Frankie Laine

and here's a link to some of the lyrics to Tom Petty's Two Gunslingers .

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: kendall
Date: 06 Apr 09 - 08:40 PM

Fast gun gettin' slow by Dave Mallett.
Six more miles to the border. Kingston Trio or the Highwaymen?

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,guava
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 01:11 PM

When the Boys Was on the Western Plains (Leadbelly)
Billy the Kid (trad)
Ragtime Cowboy Joe (Eddy Howard)
Big Gun on His HIp (Robbins)
The Streets of Laredo (trad)
and thousands more

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 01:37 PM

The Gringo Pistolero by Allen Damron.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 03:53 PM

On the lighter side, the late Frank Gallop, announcer for the old Perry Como TV show, put out an album called "When You're In Love, The Whole World is Jewish." On this LP was a song which actually got a lot of air play in the day - "The Ballad of Irving."
                     ________________

He was short and fat, and rode out of the West
With a Mogen David on his silver vest.
He was mean and nasty right clear through,
Which was kinda weird, 'cause he was yellow too.

They called him Irving.
Big Irving.
Big, short Irving.
Big, short, fat Irving.
The hundred and forty-second fastest gun in the West.

He came from the old Bar Mitzvah spread,
With a 10-gallon yarmulke on his head.* [see below]
He always followed his mother's wishes,
Even on the range he used two sets of dishes.

Irving.
Big, fat Irving.
Big sissy Irving.
The hundred and forty-second fastest gun in the West.

A hundred and forty-one could draw faster than he,
But Irving was looking for one forty-three.
Walked into Sol's Saloon like a man insane,
And ordered three fingers of two cents plain.

Irving.
Big, fat Irving.
Big sport Irving.
The hundred and forty-second fastest gun in the West.
----------------
[The following lines were edited out of the original release, and are only in
the version available on Dr. Demento's 20th Anniversary Collection.]

One day Bad Max happened into town.
His aim was to shoot fat Irving down.
Bad Max said, "Draw, and draw right now!"
And Irving drew, drew a picture of a cow.

Irving.
Big, fat Irving.
Big gunfighter Irving.
The hundred and forty-second fastest gun in the West.
----------------

The James Boys was comin' on a train at first sun,
And the town said, "Irving, we need your gun."
When that train pulled in at the break of dawn,
Irving's gun was there, but Irving was gone.

Irving.
Big, fat Irving.
Big help, Irving.
The hundred and forty-second fastest gun in the West.

Well, finally Irving got three slugs in the belly.
It was right outside the Frontier Deli.
He was sittin' there twirlin' his gun around,
And butterfingers Irving gunned himself down!

Irving.
Big, fat Irving.
Big dum-dum Irving.
Big dum-dum dead Irving.
The hundred and forty-second fastest gun in the West.
Really.

*The line about the 10-gallon yarmulke was on the original LP, but the single
version and subsequent LP pressings substituted the line:
Schlepping a salami and pumpernickel bread.
This substitution was made because the record company felt the joke would be
lost on non-Jewish listeners.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,Fred Bailey
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 09:26 AM

I always thought Guy Clark had the final word with his "Ballad of the Last Gunfighter"

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: artbrooks
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 09:52 AM

I like the version of Lavender Cowboy Seamus Kennedy recorded (he claims it was the Other Guy) better than the one posted above - but I can't find the lyrics on the web.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: autoharpbob
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 10:28 AM

Thanks for Big Iron TJ - been singing that from the Johnny Cash version which had two of those verses missing.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: voyager
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 10:39 AM

A fine song from the Flatpick-L Community -

Gunfighter's Eyes - Peter Cady

voyager

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: The DeanMeister
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 10:47 AM

"Slip, Jigs and Reels" by Steve Tilston, the story of Billy the Kid and a fine tune to boot.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: The DeanMeister
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 10:49 AM

Sorry for the comma typo.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: voyager
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 11:46 AM

Here are the lyrics/chords to Ry Cooder's Billy the Kid -

Bily the Kid - Ry Cooder

voyager

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,Black Hawk (unlogged)
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 11:53 AM

What makes 'Slips, Jigs & Reels' about Billy the Kid?

Never connected them in my mind & the facts dont gel at all.

But to get back to the original request how about :-

Hardin Wouldn't Run (Johnny Cash)
Mr Shorty (Marty Robbins) - probably THE best gunfighter song ever!

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: alanabit
Date: 26 Jun 10 - 05:17 AM

I really like the version of "Big Iron" on Seamus Kennedy's new album. I love those scenes in westerns and that song captures all the drama so well.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighters songs 1987
From: GUEST,Rudina
Date: 18 Feb 12 - 01:29 AM

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: GUEST,Mike Mandaville
Date: 18 Feb 12 - 06:02 AM

What a great discussion this is. Lots of great tunes here, and many of them copyright-free. The only one I can think of so far which has not already been mentioned, if I remember correctly, is "I Fought The Law" by the Bobby Fuller Four. There probably are others. Oh yes, "The Ballad Of Paladin". And what about "Wyat Earp, Wyat Earp, brave, courageous and bold..."

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Stewie
Date: 18 Feb 12 - 07:35 AM

I was always fond of Cisco Houston's 'Dobie Bill' aka 'The Killer'.

You can hear Cisco's rendition on Youtube: Click.

--Stewie.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Charley Noble
Date: 18 Feb 12 - 09:56 AM

Here's another vote for "LAVENDER COWBOY" posted by Bill above.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Jon Corelis
Date: 18 Feb 12 - 10:56 AM

An old thread, but apparently still attracting some interest.

I've heard many but not all of the ones mentioned. I''ve always thought that "Big Iron" presented the myth in its purest form.

The standard reference works American Ballads and Folk Songs by John and Alan Lomax and Folksinger's Wordbook by Fred and Irwin Silber have many gunslinger/outlaw songs, including some not mentioned above. In the Lomaxes book, look in the Desperadoes chapter, and in the Silbers, Heroes and Hell-Raisers.

The Grateful Dead's Stagger Lee is an interesting re-working of the traditional song.

My own attempt at writing an outlaw cowboy song is here.

Jon Corelis

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Jon Corelis
Date: 18 Feb 12 - 06:47 PM

I should have added one I don't think is mentioned above, "Glendale Train" by New Riders of the Purple Sage: a modern rock song, but in the pure tradition.

Jon Corelis
Abergenny: A welsh Song

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 03:25 AM

The Man From Laramie... was.. The man with so many notches on his gun, everyone admired the fearless stranger

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: banjoman
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 06:10 AM

The Hanging Tree
El Paso
Only The Heartaches

Bronco Lane - TV series of the same name
Sugarfoot   - Ditto-

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: David C. Carter
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 06:19 AM

Did anyone mention-Pancho and Lefty?

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 07:01 PM

On this page you will find my song The Ballad of Wyatt Earp.

http://www.bigalwhittle.co.uk/id4.html

Its about the nearest thing I've written to a straightforward folk ballad. Try to ignore the heavy rock intro - an acoustic version exists, and I will e-mail it to anyone who is interested.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: Midchuck
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 07:03 PM

WILDWOOD BOYS (J. Dickinson-R. Cooder) from the "Long Riders" sound track:

This here was our situation, we was just young wildwood boys.
As new as the birth of the nation, the kind that the Army employs.
Hard riding Rebs from Missouri, we fought for the grey and Quantrell.
Caught up by the battle and fury, back when just living was hell.

After the battle was over, after the Union had won,
It was quitting that made us the loser, so we kept doing just what we'd done.
Riding as comrades together, we looted the trains and the banks.
Removing that carpetbag money, and sticking it hard to the Yanks.

Death always follows behind you, when you ride down that old outlaw trail.
Someday a bullet will find you, or you'll rot like a corpse in some jail.
Turning your back to the danger is a wager no man can afford,
'Cause gold turns a friend to a stranger, like old Judas turned on our Lord

Men are revered and remembered, while they lay in their coffins and rot.
Some live in the legends of history, while most are forever forgot.
Victory goes to the strongest, and only the strong will survive.
But survival is living the longest, 'cause nobody gets out alive.

The questions don't never get answered, and the rights, they're remembered all wrong.
The facts can get plenty confusing, so someday if you're singing this song,
Remember it's just for the record; you can't change the handwork of fate.
And tell 'em I lived for the moment. And I died when I tried to go straight.

Subject: RE: Looking for gunfighter songs
From: kendall
Date: 19 Feb 12 - 08:15 PM

I also recorded this on Folk Legacy.