THE DAY THAT CURLY BILLY SHOT DOWN CRAZY SAM MCGEE
(Allan Clarke)

The Hollies - 1974


Big tall man standing in the street
Gun hanging by his side
Just one man that he'd like to meet
That's when I began to hide

I recognised him from the face of his son
The hate in his eye didn't lie
Oh what I did can't be undone
Borrowed time there's none to buy

Well I hid round the back of a derelict shack
Ain't looking for a mad showdown
But he was smart, he'd already checked
A week in advance I'd paid down

Well the hotel clerk was a fun-loving man
The job he had it didn't pay
He told all about what happened that night
There he is, that's the one's all he'd say

Well all the people were running, jumping, even thumping
On my bad neighbours doors
Crying curly billy silly with his colt he calls filly
Let me in I gotta hide
Well everybody was crying, sighing sam mcgee's dying
No one to protect our town
Curly billy silly with his colt he calls filly,
He's gonna shoot your sherriff down

Big tall man standing in the street
Now a hand hovering waiting to slide
Drew out his gun it wasn't for fun
Let me in there's nowhere to hide

Well I made my play but it wasn't my day
I felt the ripping lead
That's when I knew my time was through
Rest in peace were the last words he said

Well all the people were running, jumping, even thumping
On my bad neighbours doors
Crying curly billy silly with his colt he calls filly
Let me in I gotta hide
Well everybody was crying, sighing sam mcgee's dying
No one to protect our town
Curly billy silly with his colt he calls filly,
He's gonna shoot your sherriff down

Well all the people were running, jumping, even thumping
On my bad neighbours doors
Crying curly billy silly with his colt he calls filly
Let me in I gotta hide
Well everybody was crying, sighing sam mcgee's dying
No one to protect our town
Curly billy silly with his colt he calls filly,
He's gonna shoot your sherriff down


(Contributed by Séamus Griffiths - January 2005)