Big Iron

To the town of Agua Fria,

rode 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 a slip

For the stranger there among 'em

had a big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

It was early in the mornin'

when he rode into town

He came ridin' from the south side,

slowly lookin' all around

"He's an outlaw, loose and runnin'",

came a 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

And the notches on his pistol

numbered one and nineteen more

One and nineteen more

Now the stranger started talkin',

made it plain to folks around

Was an Arizonia ranger,

wouldn't be too long in town

He came there to take an outlaw

back alive or maybe dead

Said it didn't matter,

he was after Texas Red,

after Texas Red

Wasn't long before this story

was relayed to Texas Red

But the outlaw didn't worry,

men that 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

The mornin' past so quickly,

it was time for them to meet

It was twenty past eleven

when they walked out in the street

Folks were watchin' from their windows,

every body held their breath

They knew this handsome ranger

was about to meet his death

About to meet his death

There was forty 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

for a bullet fairly ripped

And 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 folks had gathered 'round

There before them lay the body

of the outlaw on the ground

Oh, he might have gone on livin'

but he made one fatal slip

When he tried to match the ranger

with the big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

Big iron, big iron

When he tried to match the ranger

with the big iron on his hip

Big iron on his hip

• Artist:Michael Martin Murphey