LAST GUNFIGHTER BALLAD, THE
(Guy Clark)


Guy Clark (with Waylon Jennings) - 1976
Johnny Cash - 1976

Also recorded by: Steve Earle






As recorded by GUY CLARK:

Now the old gunfigter on the porch stared into the sun
And relived the days of livin' by the gun
When deadly games of pride were played 
And livin' was mistakes not made
And the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
I smelt the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

And you can almost feel the weight of the gun
And it's always keep your back to the sun
And it's faster than snakes or a blink of the eye
And it's a time for all slow men to die
And his eyes get squinty and his fingers twitch
And he empties his gun at the son-of-a-bitch
And he's hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

And the burn of a bullet is only a scar
And he's back in his chair in front of a bar
And the streets are empty and the blood's all dried
And the dead are dust and and the whiskey's inside
So buy him a drink, lend him an ear
He's nobody's fool and the only one here
Who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Remember the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

He said I stood in that street before it was paved
Learned shoot or be shot before I could shave
I did it all for the money and fame
Noble was nothin' but feelin' no shame
And nothin' was sacred save stayin' alive
And all that I learned from a Colt 45
Was to curse the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Curse the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Now he's just an old man who no one believes
Says he's a gunfighter, the last of the breed
And there're ghosts in the street seekin' revenge
Callin' him out to the lunatic fringe
Now he's out in the traffic, checkin' the sun
And he's killed by a car as he goes for his gun
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke


********************


As recorded by JOHNNY CASH:

The old gunfigter stood on the porch stared into sun
And relived all the old days back livin' by the gun
When deadly games of pride were played 
And livin' was mistakes not made
And he thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
The thought of the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

And it's always keep your back to the sun
And you can almost feel the weight of that gun
It's faster than snakes or the blink of an eye
And it's a time for all slow men to die
His eyes get squinty and his fingers are long
As he empties his gun at the dirty dog
And he's hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar
And he's back in his chair in front of a bar
And the streets're empty and the blood's all dried
The dead are dust and and the whiskey's inside
So buy him a drink and lend him an ear
He's nobody's fool, but he's the only one here
Who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Said I stood in that street before it was paved
I learned the shoot or be shot before I could shave
And I did it all for the money and the fame
Noble was nothin' but feelin' no shame
And nothin' was sacred but stayin' alive
And all that I learned from a Colt 45
Was to cuss the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
Cuss the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke

Now he's just an old man that nobody believes
Says he's a gunfighter, the last of his breed
And there's ghosts in the street seekin' revenge
Callin' him out to the lunatic fringe
He's out in the traffic now, checkin' the sun
And he's killed by a car as he goes for his gun
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke






(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - July 2012)