The song "El Passo"
OK. I may have too much time on my hands but this has bugged me since the song came out. Why did the cowboy have to run?? The song clearly says Stranger was messing with local's girl. He said "no, no". Stranger went for gun but local got there first. Stranger lay dead on floor. At that point locals should have pulled body outside and bought doubles for poor cowboy? Marty got two huge hits off that but I fail to see the logic in the first song. Does anyone else see the flaw or is it just me? Tom
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Fear of the man comming down on him. 0 -
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-bye.0 -
Stranger had a friend. This man... 
Uh OH!0 -
quote:Originally posted by tccox
OK. I may have too much time on my hands but this has bugged me since the song came out. Why did the cowboy have to run?? The song clearly says Stranger was messing with local's girl. He said "no, no". Stranger went for gun but local got there first. Stranger lay dead on floor. At that point locals should have pulled body outside and bought doubles for poor cowboy? Marty got two huge hits off that but I fail to see the logic in the first song. Does anyone else see the flaw or is it just me? Tom
The phrase riding for the brand comes to mind. Cowboys worked on ranches, Ranches had many cowboys, If you messed with one you messed with all of them.
Actually think about it. He was a stalker. He was in love but in vain (she did not love him back) He was a bar fly if he had nothing to do but hang around in bars he was probably a bum. When he left he stole a horse (they would have hung him for that anyway) So we have a mean drunk with no visible means of support who killed his stalking victims new boyfriend and stole a horse and hes's the hero of the song? Makes you think about it a little differently doesn't it?0 -
He ran. 0 -
I used to wonder about that one a lot when I was a kid. By the Law of the West, if the other guy drew first you were free and clear to shoot him.
I think the other guys have explained the reality of the situation, ie, the handsome young stranger's buddies didn't play fair.
That is one great song, though. I have it on CD, still like to play it.0 -
I can barely listen to the lyrics. I'm too ebthralled in the FANTASTIC guitar work going on in that song.
Whoever played it was one tasty pickin SOB!0 -
It is funny how times have changed since the time this was about. Today, the gun company would be held responsible for the strangers death, the insurance company would not pay for the horse because it was not left in a secure manner, and the shooter would be proven innocent because his cabboose did not fit the saddle. Dave 0 -
quote:Originally posted by swamp_thing
It is funny how times have changed since the time this was about. Today, the gun company would be held responsible for the strangers death, the insurance company would not pay for the horse because it was not left in a secure manner, and the shooter would be proven innocent because his cabboose did not fit the saddle. Dave
Plus the bar owner would be sued for not having provided adequate security and possibly for having served the shooter alcohol if the shooter's family could establish that he was obviously inebriated when the incident occurred. Felina would get a book contract and an advisory role in the made-for TV movie and the handsome young stranger's family would sue the estate of the dead cowboy in civil court for wrongful death. The city of El Paso would enact strict handgun bans as well as laws regarding the transportation and storage of firearms. All saddle scabbards would be equipped with child-proof locks and ammunition would have to be transported on the side of the horse opposite the rifle, for example. The NYT would applaud El Paso as a city where "common sense" gun control efforts were working and ask why the rest of the nation chose to remain in the 18th century so far as this issue was concerned.0 -
And last but not least the DMV would band together with BATF and file charges against the horse's rightful purchaser for making a straw purchase because he actually bought the horse for someone whom couldn't legally purchase it. 0 -
basically he killed a guy in a gun fight over some mexican bar chick who flirted with someone else when he wasnt around.
imagine that.
then he came back to see if she still loved him and got killed by the law.
she kissed him goodbye, most likely took his watch, and went back to the bar and sat on someone elses lap.0 -
He stole a horse. 0 -
He wasn't killed by the law. He was killed in revenge by his victim's friends. It was the way things were done. 0 -
You forgot the final verse:
Now I lay dead in a grave at El Paso
My body rots in an underground vault
That Mexican was an illegal assho
I'll go to hell and it's ALL BUSH'S FAULT
[:D]0 -
ahh! ok. i see that. duals were considered ok. but a man would die for horse theft.
but i dont see anywhere in the lyrics where friends of the dead man were avenging him though.
man...what an idiot. he died for a horse and just to get one more kiss from a bar maiden.[xx(]0
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