FELINA (FROM EL PASO)
(Marty Robbins)


Marty Robbins - 1966





Out in New Mexico many long years ago
There in a shack on the desert one night in a storm
Amid streaks of lightnin' and loud desert thunder
To a young Mexican couple a baby was born

Just as the baby cried, thunder and lightnin' died
Moon gave its light to the world and the stars they did stay
Mother and father both proud of the daughter
That heaven had sent them Felina was this baby's name

When she was seventeen, bothered by crazy dreams
She ran away from the shack and left them to roam
Father and mother both asked one another
What made her run away, what made Felina leave home

Tired of the desert nights, poverty, grief and strife
She went her way late one night in the moon's golden beam
She didn't know where she'd go, but she'd get there
And she would find happiness if she would follow her dream

After she ran away, she went to Santa Fe
And in the year that she stayed there, she learned about life
In just a little while she learned that with a smile
She could have pretty clothes, she could be any man's wife

Rich men romanced her, they dined and they danced her
She understood men and she treated them all just the same
A form that was fine and rare dark shining glossy hair
Lovely to look at, Felina was this woman's name

Restless in Santa Fe, she had to get away
To any town where the lights had a much brighter glow
One cowboy mentioned the town of El Paso
They never stopped dancin' and money like whiskey did flow

She bought a one-way, a ticket from Santa Fe
Three days and nights on a stage with a rest now and then
She didn't mind that she knew she would find that
Her new life would be more exciting than where she had been

The stage made its last stop up there on the mountain top
To let her see all of the lights at the foot of the hill
Her world was brighter and deep down inside her
An uncontrolled beating, her young heart just wouldn't be still

She got a hotel, a room at the Lily Belle
Quickly she changed to a form-fitting black satin dress
Every man stopped to stare at this form fine and rare
Even the women remarked of the charm she possessed

Dancin' and laughter was what she was after
And Rosa's Cantina had lights with love in the gleam
That's what she hunted and that's what she wanted
Rosa's was one place a nice girl would never be seen

It was the same way it was back in Santa Fe
Men would make fools of themselves at the thought of romance
Rosa took heed of, the place was in need of
This kind of excitement, so she paid Feleena to dance

A year passed or maybe more, then through the swingin' doors
Came a young cowboy, so tall and so handsomely dressed
This one was new in town, hadn't been seen around
He was so different, he wasn't like all of the rest

Felina danced close to him, then threw a rose to him
Quickly he walked to her table and there he sit down
And in a day or so wherever folks would go
They'd see this young cowboy showin' Felina the town

Six weeks he went with her, each minute spent with her
But he was insanely jealous at glances she'd give
Inside he was hurtin' from all of her flirtin'
That was her nature and that was the way that she lived

She flirted one night ,it started a gunfight
And after the smoke cleared away, on the floor lay a man
Felina's young lover had shot down another
And he had to leave there, so out through the backdoor he ran

The next day at five o'clock, she heard a rifle shot
Quickly she ran to the door that was facin' the past
She saw her cowboy, her wild ridin' cowboy
Low in the saddle, her cowboy was ridin' in fast

She ran to meet him, to kiss and to greet him
He saw her and motioned her back with a wave of his hand
Bullets were flyin', Felina was cryin'
As she saw him fall from the saddle and into the sand

Felina knelt near him, to hold and to hear him
When she felt the warm blood that flowed from the wound in his side
He raised to kiss her and she heard him whisper
Never forget me, Felina, it's over, goodbye

Quickly she grabbed for the sixgun that he wore
And screamin' in anger and placin' the gun to her breast
Bury us both deep and maybe we'll find peace
Then pullin' the trigger, she fell cross the dead cowboy's chest

Out in El Paso, whenever the wind blows
If you'll listen closely, at night you wil hear in the wind
A woman is cryin', it's not the wind sighin'
Old timers tell you Felina is callin' for him

You'll hear them talkin' and you'll hear them walkin'
You'll hear them laughin', you'll look, but there's no one around
Don't be alarmed, there is really no harm there
It's only the young cowboy showing Felina the town






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - January 2013)