Lyr Req/Add: Gallo Del Cielo (Tom Russell)

Subject: Gallo Del Cielo rec. by T.Russell,J.Ely, I.Tyson
From:
Date: 28 Sep 97 - 07:36 AM

I'm in desperate search for the above mentioned Rooster song (but no, he's not in our yard). In addition to Tom Russell, it's been recorded by Joe Ely and Ian Tyson. Hmmmm. Tyson. Possible additional poultry reference...

Subject: Lyr Add: GALLO DEL CIELO (Tom Russell)^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Sep 97 - 04:31 AM

GALLO DEL CIELO
Tom Russell, 1979

Carlos Zaragoza left his home in Casas Grandes when the moon was full
No money in his pocket, just a locket of his sister framed in gold
He headed for El Sueco, stole a rooster called "Gallo del Cielo"
Then he crossed the Rio Grande with that rooster nestled deep beneath his arm.

Gallo del Cielo was a warrior born in heaven, so the legends say
His wings they had been broken, he had one eye rollin' crazy in his head
He's fought a hundred fights, and the legends say that one night near El Sueco
They'd fought Cielo seven times and seven times he'd left brave roosters dead.

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in San Antonio
I have 27 dollars and the locket with your picture framed in gold
Tonight I'll bet it all on the fighting spurs of Gallo del Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Outside San Diego in the onion fields of Paco Monteverde
The Pride of San Diego lay sleeping on a fancy bed of silk
And they laughed when Zaragoza pulled the one-eyed del Cielo from beneath his coat
But they cried when Zaragoza walked away with a thousand dollar bill.

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in Santa Barbara
I have fifteen hundred dollars and the good luck of your picture framed in gold
Tonight I'll put it all behind the fighting spurs of Gallo del Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago.

Now the moon has gone to hiding and the lantern light spills shadows on the fighting sand
A wicked black named Zorro faces del Cielo in the night
And Carlos Zaragoza fears the tiny crack that runs across his rooster's beak
And he fears that he has lost the fifty thousand that is riding on the fight

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in Santa Clara
Oh, the money's on the table, I am holding now your good luck framed in gold
And everything we dream of is riding on spurs of Gallo del Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Then the signal it was given, and the cocks they rose together far above the sand
Gallo del Cielo sunk a gaff into Zorro's shiny breast
They were separated quickly and they rose and fought each other thirty seven times
And the legends say that everyone agreed that del Cielo fought the best

Then the screams of Zaragoza filled the night outside the town of Santa Clara
As the beak of del Cielo lay broken like a shell within his hand
And they say that Zaragoza screamed a curse upon the bones of Pancho Villa
When Zorro rose up one last time and drove del Cielo to the sand.

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in San Francisco
There's no money in my pocket, I no longer have your picture framed in gold
I buried it last evening with the bones of my beloved del Cielo
I'll not return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Do the rivers still run muddy outside of my beloved Casas Grandes?
Does the scar upon my brother's face turn red when he hears mention of my name?
Do the people of El Sueco still curse the theft of Gallo del Cielo?
Tell my family not to worry, I will not return to cause them shame.^^

Subject: RE: Gallo Del Cielo (Tom Russell)
From: JESTER!
Date: 29 Sep 97 - 05:42 AM

Thanks, Joe! Nothing puts me in a better mood than complete lyrics for a song about roosters!

Subject: Gallo de Cielo
From: Stewie
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 01:56 AM

Here's one that demonstrates that the fine art of ballad writing is far from dead. The song has been recorded several times by Tom Russell himself, and also by many other artists. Tom's versions are good, but my personal favourite is Ian Tyson's on his 'Old Corrals and Sagebush, & Other Cowboy Culture Classics' album.

GALLO DE CIELO

Carlos Zaragosa left his home in Casas Grandes when the moon was full
No money in his pocket, just a locket of his sister framed in gold
He headed for El Sueco, stole a rooster called Gallo de Cielo
Then he crossed the Rio Grande with that chicken nestled deep beneath his arm

Gallo de Cielo was a rooster born in heaven so the legends say
His wings they had been broken, he had one eye rollin' crazy in his head
He had fought a hundred fights, and the legends say that one night near El Sueco
They'd fought Cielo seven times and seven times he'd left brave roosters dead

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in San Antonio
I have twenty seven dollars and the locket with your picture framed in gold
Tonight I'll bet it all on the fighting spurs of Gallo de Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Outside of San Diego in the onion fields of Paco Monteverde
The Pride of San Diego lay sleeping on a fancy bed of silk
And they laughed when Zaragosa pulled the one-eyed de Cielo from beneath his coat
But they cried when Zaragosa walked away with a thousand dollar bill

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in Santa Barbara
I have fifteen hundred dollars and the good luck of your picture framed in gold
Tonight I'll bet it all on the fighting spurs of Gallo de Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Now the moon has gone to hiding and the lantern light spills shadows on the fighting sand
A wicked black named Zorro faces de Cielo in the night
And Carlos Zaragosa fears the tiny crack that runs across the rooster's beak
And he fears that he has lost the fifty thousand that is riding on the fight

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in Santa Clara
Oh, the money's on the table, I am holding your good luck framed in gold
And everything we dreamed of is riding on the spurs of Gallo de Cielo
I pray that I'll return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Then the signal it was given and the cocks they rose together far above the sand
Gallo de Cielo sunk a gaff into Zorro's shiny breast
They were separated quickly but they rose and fought each other thirty seven times
And the legends say that everyone agreed that de Cielo fought the best

Then the screams of Zaragosa filled the night outside the town of Santa Clara
As the beak of de Cielo lay broken like a shell within his hand
And they say that Zaragosa screamed a curse on the bones of Pancho Villa
When Zorro rose up one last time and drove de Cielo to the sand

Hola, my Theresa, I am thinking of you now in San Francisco
There's no money in my pocket, I no longer have your picture framed in gold
I buried it last evening with the bones of my beloved de Cielo
I'll not return to buy the land that Villa stole from father long ago

Do the rivers still run muddy outside my beloved Casas Grandes?
Does the scar upon my brother's face turn red when he hears mention of my name?
Do the people of El Sueco still curse the theft of Gallo de Cielo?
Tell my family not to worry, I will not return to cause them shame

Author: Tom Russell
Copyright 1982 End of Trail Music CAPAC

Source: Tom Russell 'Heart on a Sleeve' Bear Family BCD15243

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gallo de Cielo
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 03:26 AM

Hi, Stewie - I think it's Gallo del Cielo (click). Great song, isn't it?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gallo de Cielo
From: Stewie
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 06:32 AM

Hi Joe, yes it's a great song. And you are right it is 'del'. I took the 'de' from the first 2 versions I had - Russell's 'Heart on a Sleeve' and Tyson's 'Old Corrals'; both had 'de'. And it was 'de' on the original Columbia LP as well, so Bear Family can't really be blamed (it reissued 'Old Corrals'). However, looking at 3 other Russell CD's with it on - 'Cowboy Real', 'The Long Way Round' and 'Song of the West', it is 'del'. I must admit that I never noticed. That's the second time I've posted songs that were there already.

I suppose my putting 'de' in the forum search accounts for my failure to find it before posting. My apologies for the duplication. I am not sure how to make a more refined search - should I have put asterisks each side of 'Gallo' for a search?

Have you heard Russell's more recent lengthy ballad - 'The Sky Above, the Mud Below'. It is excellent as well. I'll post the lyrics for that if it hasn't been done already.

Regards, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gallo de Cielo
From: Stewie
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 06:42 AM

Joe, I just tried the asterisks and that failed to find it. Can you advise my how I should have carried out the forum search to find it?

Thanks, Stewie.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gallo de Cielo
From: Frank of Toledo
Date: 08 Nov 99 - 04:25 PM

Nancy & I were very fortunate to have Tom Russell in concert here in Toledo this past June, and of course he did a rousing version of the song with his fine guitarist Andrew Hardin. Tom is a marvelous writer and should, without a doubt, be on the list of the best singer/songwriters in Folk Music. If you have the chance, seek out Joe Ely's rendition of this song. He did it on a recent CD with members of Los Lobos and Flaco Jiminez.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gallo de Cielo
From: lamarca
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 12:35 PM

Katie Lee recorded this on her cassette "Don't Fence Me In". She does a great rendition!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gallo de Cielo
From: cravinboy
Date: 10 Nov 99 - 08:42 PM

Joe Ely did this tune on his cd "Letter to Loredo".

Subject: Gallo del Cielo by Tom Russell
From: open mike
Date: 10 Nov 10 - 01:46 PM

This thread was inspired by a thread about restoring an old toaster and
also by a question about a song "Is it a hen or a rooster" Here is a most famous rooster...Tom Russell's song
Gallo del Cielo

Subject: RE: Gallo del Cielo by Tom Russell
From: open mike
Date: 10 Nov 10 - 08:49 PM

i do not wish to promote cock fights...but this song is wonderful.

Subject: RE: Gallo del Cielo by Tom Russell
From: open mike
Date: 11 Nov 10 - 01:19 PM

this was originally posted as renewing an old rooster...
see if the new thread title get more hits...the great
"chicken in the sky" song by one of the world's foremost songwriters...