Wild Bill Hickok
Frontier Legend: Wild Bill's Saga Unveiled
Lyrics
Wild Bill was born in Illinois on dry and fertile land
Wild Bill was born in Illinois on dry and fertile land.
Pioneer of pistoleers and a dead shot with each hand
Pioneer of pistoleers and a dead shot with each hand.
And claim he was the quickest, there's few who'd ill-agree
Claimed to be exceptionally fast with a gun, a skill most agree upon.
Fewer yet to saw this plainsman draw, still breathe like you and me
Very few witnessed him draw his gun and survive to tell the tale.
He led a stagecoach freight team in his early days of life
Worked with a stagecoach freight team during his early life.
One evenin' on the Western Trail, Bill took the air of night
Encountered a bear while traveling along the Western Trail at night.
And who should come upon him but a bear whom he'd awoke
Engaged with the bear and fashioned a coat from its hide using his knife.
Wild Bill produced his bowie knife and fashioned a new coat
Used his bowie knife to create a coat from the bear's hide.
Kansas prairies he knew well and wild Missouri too
Familiar with Kansas prairies and the wilds of Missouri.
Come 1861, Bill donned the Union blue
In 1861, joined the Union army.
Not unlike his daddy, he'd seen old man in bonds
Similar to his father, witnessed oppression (possibly slavery).
Every man in Jimmy Lane's brigade, of Hickok they were fond
Jimmy Lane's brigade held admiration for Hickok.
While a marshal in Abilene many Texans came to call
Served as a marshal in Abilene, attracting attention from Texans.
Phil Coe told John Wes Hardin, "Wild Bill has got to fall
Phil Coe expressed a desire for Hickok's demise to John Wes Hardin.
"He's a cruel and brutish Yankee, and if you don't then I will"
Coe described Hickok as cruel and wanted him dead.
Wild Bill put down Phil Coe and Wes Hardin's livin' still
Hickok subdued Coe and Hardin remained unharmed.
He met his fate in Deadwood inside Tom Nuttall's place
Met his end in Deadwood during a poker game at Tom Nuttall's place.
Amidst a game of poker, holdin' aces and two eights
Had a hand of aces and two eights, known as the "Dead Man's Hand."
When up stepped from behind him the coward, Jack McCall
Assassinated by Jack McCall while playing poker.
The slug ripped through his auburn hair, poor Wild Bill never saw
Shot from behind, unaware, and died without seeing his assailant.
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