El Paso --- Marty Robbins

 

[D]Out in the West Texas [Em]town of El Paso
[A7]
I fell in love with a Mexican [D]Girl.
[D]
Night time would find me in [Em]Rose’s Cantina,
[A7]
Music would play and Felina would [D]whirl. 

[D]
Blacker than night were the [Em]eyes of Felina,
[A7]
Wicked and evil while casting her [D]spell.
[D]
My love was strong for this [Em]Mexican maiden,
[A7]
I was in love, but in vain I could [D]tell. 

         
[G]One night a wild young [D]cowboy came [G]in,
          Wild as the
[D]West Texas [D7]wind.
          Dashing and daring, a drink he was sharing
          With wicked Felina, the girl that I
[G]loved.
          So in
[A7]anger… 

I [D]challenged his right for the [Em]love of this maiden.
[A7]
Down went his hand for the gun that he [D]wore.
My
[D]challenge was answered, in [Em]less than a heartbeat
The
[A7]handsome young stranger lay dead on the [D]floor.

[D]Just for a moment I [Em]stood there in silence,
[A7]
Shocked by the foul evil deed I had [D]done.
[D]
Many thoughts raced through my [Em]mind as I stood there,
[A7]
I had but one chance and that was to [D]run.

          [G]Out through the back door of [D]Rose’s I [G]ran,
          Out where the
[D]horses were [D7]tied.
          I caught a good one, it looked like he could run.
          Up on his back and away I did
[G]ride.
          Just as
[A7]fast as…

I [D]could from the West Texas [Em]town of El Paso.
[A7]
Out through the badlands of New Mexi-[D]co…
[D]
Back in El Paso my [Em]life would be worthless.
[A7]
Everything’s gone in life, nothing is [D]left. 

But [D]it’s been so long since I’ve [Em]seen the young maiden,
[A7]
My love is stronger than my fear of [D]death. 

          [G]I saddled up and a-[D]way I did [G]go,
          Riding a-
[D]lone in the [D7]dark.
          Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me.
          Tonight nothing’s worse than this pain in my
[G]heart.
          And at
[A7]last here… 

I [D]am on the hill over-[Em]looking El Paso.
[A7]
I can see Rose’s Cantina be-[D]low.
[D]
My love is strong and it [Em]pushes me onward.
[A7]
Down off the hill to Felina I [D]go. 

[D]Off to my right I see [Em]five mounted cowboys.
[A7]
Off to my left ride a dozen or [D]more.
[D]
Shouting and shooting, I [Em]can’t let them catch me.
[A7]
I’ve got to make it to Rose’s back [D]door. 

          [G]Something is dreadfully [D]wrong for I [G]feel
          A deep burning
[D]pain in my [D7]side.
          It’s getting harder to stay in the saddle.
          I’m getting weary, unable to
[G]ride.
          But my
[A7]love for… 

Fe-[D]lina is strong and I [Em]rise where I’ve fallen.
[A7]
Though I am weary, I can’t stop to [D]rest.
[D]
I see the white puff of [Em]smoke from the rifle.
[A7]
I feel the bullet go deep in my [D]chest. 

[D]From out of nowhere, Fe-[Em]lina has found me,
[A7]
Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my [D]side.
[D]
Cradled by two loving [Em]arms that I’ll die for,
[A7]
One little kiss, and Felina good-[D]bye.

 

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