From the YouTube Music Archives XXXV: Marty Robbins

From the album “Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs”, here are a couple of versions of the Robbins’ most well known song, a 1960 Version and then the more well know version from 1965. He also wrote the song Singing the Blues, which I guess turned out to be a huge hit for someone named Guy Mitchell. Other favorite Marty Robbins songs of mine are Battle of the Alamo, Time Goes By, and I Can’t Quit. If he can’t quit, then he could always sing I Couldn’t Keep From Crying, and those readers who may just want to cut the country crap will nevertheless enjoy singing along to Devil Woman (lyrics supplied below). There’s a great version of The Story Of My Life from a TV show in the 1970s, and a concert version of A White Sport Coat that features an ‘Elvis’ Marty that is especially fun to watch. If you have any doubt about Robbins’ influence as a performer and songwriter, here’s a version of that most popular song by The Grateful Dead and a recent tribute by Pete Townshend called God Speaks Of Marty Robbins, which has the beautiful lines, I heard the heavens sing / Predicting Marty Robbins / I knew I’d find / Music and time / Were the perfect plan … well, there’s plenty more where these came from.

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso / I fell in love with a Mexican girl. / Night-time would find me in Rosa’s cantina / Music would play and Felina would whirl / Blacker than night were the eyes of Felina / Wicked and evil while casting a spell / My love was deep for this Mexican maiden / I was in love but in vain, I could tell / One night a wild young cowboy came in / Wild as the West Texas wind / Dashing and daring a drink he was sharing / With wicked Felina the girl that I loved / So in anger I / Challenged his right for the love of this maiden / Down went his hand for the gun that he wore / My challenge was answered in less than a heart-beat / The handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor / Just for a moment I stood there in silence / Shocked by the foul evil deed I had done / Many thoughts raced through my mind as I stood there / I had but one chance and that was to run / Out through the back door of Rosa’s I ran / Out where the horses were tied / I caught a good one / It looked like it could run up on its back / And away I did ride / Just as fast as I / Could from the West Texas town of El Paso / Out to the bad-lands of New Mexico / Back in El Paso my life would be worthless / Everything’s gone in life / nothing is left / It’s been so long since I’ve seen the young maiden / My love is stronger than my fear of death / I saddled up and away I did go / Riding alone in the dark / Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me / Tonight nothing’s worse than this pain in my heart / And at last here I am on the hill overlooking El Paso / I can see / Rosa’s cantina below / My love is strong and it pushes me onward / Down off the hill to Felina I go / Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys / Off to my left ride a dozen or more / Shouting and shooting I can’t let them catch me / I have to make it to Rosa’s back door / Something is dreadfully wrong for I feel / A deep burning pain in my side / Though I am trying to stay in the saddle / I’m getting weary / Unable to ride / But my love for Felina is strong and I rise where I’ve fallen / Though I am weary I can’t stop to rest / I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle / I feel the bullet go deep in my chest / From out of nowhere Felina has found me / Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side / Cradled by two loving arms that I’ll die for / One little kiss and Felina, good-by