Big Iron (Marty Robbins)

Lyrics

To the town of Agua Fria went a stranger one fine day
Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say
No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make the slip
The stranger there among them had the big iron on his hip
(Big iron on his hip)

It was early in the morning when he rode into the town
He came riding from the south side slowly lookin all around
He's an outlaw loose and runnin, came the whisper from each lip
He's here to do some business with the big iron on his hip
(Big iron on his hip)

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

Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around
Was an Arizona ranger, wouldn't be too long in town
He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead
Said it didn't matter, but he was after Texas Red
(After Texas Red)

It wasn't long before this story was relayed to Texas Red
But the outlaw didn't worry, men who tried before were dead
Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip
Twenty-one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip
(Big iron on his hip)

Now the morning passed so quickly, it was time for them to meet
It was twenty past eleven when they walked out in the street
Folks was watchin from the windows, everybody held their breath
They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death
(About to meet his death)

There was twenty feet between them when they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the ranger is still talked about today
Texas Red had not cleared leather, and a bullet fairly ripped
The ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip
(Big iron on his hip)

It was over in a moment, and the crowd had gathered round
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
Whoa he may have gone on living, but he made one fatal slip
He tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
(Big iron on his hip)

Big iron
Big iron
He tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
(Big iron on his hip)