Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid: Tales of a Young Outlaw's Tragic Destiny
Lyrics
I'll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid,
I will sing a true song about Billy the Kid.
I'll sing of the desperate deeds that he did,
I will sing about the desperate deeds he committed.
Way out in New Mexico, long long ago
Refers to the location in New Mexico and the distant past.
When a man's only chance was his own 44.
In a time where a man's only hope was his .44 caliber gun.
When Billy the Kid was a very young lad
Billy, as a young lad, got involved in trouble in Silver City.
In the old Silver City he went to the bad
Describes Billy's descent into a life of crime.
Way out in the West with a gun in his hand
Out in the West, Billy, armed, began his criminal life at twelve.
At the age of twelve years he first killed his man.
At the age of twelve, he killed his first man.
Fair Mexican maidens play guitars and sing
Mexican maidens sing songs about Billy, the young bandit.
A song about Billy, the boy bandit king
Highlights the fame of Billy as a boy bandit king.
How ere his young manhood had reached its sad end
Before reaching adulthood, Billy had killed twenty-one men.
He'd a notch on his pistol for twenty-one men.
Expresses dissatisfaction on the night of Billy's death.
'Twas on the same night when poor Billy died
Billy died, expressing dissatisfaction to friends.
He said to his friends: "I am not satisfied.
Refers to the number of men Billy had killed.
There are twenty-one men I have put bullets through
Challenges Sheriff Pat Garrett to make him the twenty-second.
And sheriff Pat Garrett must make twenty-two."
Describes the circumstances of Billy's fate.
Now this is how Billy the Kid met his fate,
Pat Garrett, once a friend, shot Billy down.
The bright moon was shining, the hour was late
Setting the scene of Billy's demise, under the moonlight.
Shot down by Pat Garrett, who once was his friend
Pat Garrett, now an adversary, ended Billy's outlaw life.
The young outlaw's life had now come to its end.
Billy's life as an outlaw concluded.
There's many a man with a face fine and fair
Reflects on the common fate of those who start with good intentions.
Who starts out in life with a chance to be square,
People with a fair start in life sometimes go astray.
But just like poor Billy he wanders astray
Comparing others to Billy, who also went astray.
And loses his life in the very same way.
Many lose their lives in a similar fashion to Billy.
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