• Running Wild
• Ry Cooder
• Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
• Tom Petty
• Woody Guthrie
• Billy Gilman
• Charlie Daniels
• Billy Dean
• Marty Robbins
• Dia Frampton
• Chris Ledoux

Silence
In the steps of no-man's land
Camp fire, the smell of prarie wind
Men surround the blaze
Drink booze recall the day
Til a strangers voice rings out to pray the sin
"The man who pulls his gun'd be dead
before he moves the trigger"
Scared to death no one dared to breathe
Billy took their money
Burst into ringing laughter
Stole a horse and left the shattered scene
Billy the kid, beast of prey that won't be tamed
Billy the kid, loved the thrill of deadly games
Wanted
For the men he'd killed in vain
A thousand dollars cash on Billy's head
Hunted by a star
For the lives he'd left in pain
And the day they met the outlaw lost the gameThe marshal held his gun
Aimed at Billy's head with laughter
But the youngster was to proud for given' in
Billy felt no pain
But he was shot, the law was faster
Falling to his knees he hit the trail
Billy the kid, beast of prey that won't be tamed
Billy the kid, loved the thrill of deadly games
Billy the kid, a youngster and hie deadly gun
Billy the kid, a lonely hero on the run
The killing and the blood for golden dreams
A senseless war
An endless fight the youngster couldn't win
A hundred times before he'd died
He knocked on heaven's door
Til his maker opened up to lead him in.

(Traditional, arranged by Ry Cooder)
(G) - (D)
(G) I'll sing you a true song of (D) Billy the (G) Kid
I'll (D) sing the record of (G) deeds that he did
Way out in New Mexico a long time (D) ago
When a (G) man's only friend was his (D) own forty- (G) four
Now when Billy the Kid was a very young lad
In old Silver City he went to the bad
Way out west with a knife in his hand
At the age of twelve years he killed his first man
Fair Mexican maidens play guitars and sing
Songs about Billy their boy bandit king
Before this young manhood reached its sad end
He'd a notch on his pistol for twenty one men
It was on one black night that poor Billy died
He said to his friends, ";I'm not satisfied
There's twenty one men that I've put bullets through
And sheriff Pat Garrett's gonna make twenty-two";
Well, this is how Billy the Kid met his fate
A big moon was shining and the hour was late
Shot down by Pat Garrett, Silver City's best friend
The poor outlaw's life have reached its sad end

Well I heard you in the back room
Your friends had a laugh on me
Passed my name through the cantina
Yeah, your face was hard to read
Something in your demeanor
Should've given you away
But I was desperate for a friend
I was gettin' used to makin' mistakes
Well I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
Yeah, I went down hard
Yeah, but I got up again
I remember you my baby
I remember you so well
And your house out in the suburbs
You had your wishing well
They say be careful who you believe
Be careful who you trust
Did you smile when you pulled the trigger
That dropped me in the dust
Well I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
Yeah, I went down hard
Yeah, but I got up again
Alright
Well, you caught me in the bedroom
Cotton fever in a sweat
I was fighting for recovery
But I wasn?t givin' up yet
You offered no assistance
Yeah, you looked at me and you lied
Yeah, oh it really stunned me
When you went to the other side
I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
Yeah, I went down hard
Oh, but I got up again
I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
I went down hard
Oh, but I got up again
I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
I went down hard

Well I heard you in the back room
Your friends had a laugh on me
Passed my name through the cantina
Yeah, your face was hard to read
Something in your demeanor
Should've given you away
But I was desperate for a friend
I was gettin' used to makin' mistakes
Well I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
Yeah, I went down hard
Yeah, but I got up again
I remember you my baby
I remember you so well
And your house out in the suburbs
You had your wishing well
They say be careful who you believe
Be careful who you trust
Did you smile when you pulled the trigger
That dropped me in the dust
Well I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
Yeah, I went down hard
Yeah, but I got up again
Alright
Well, you caught me in the bedroom
Cotton fever in a sweat
I was fighting for recovery
But I wasn?t givin' up yet
You offered no assistance
Yeah, you looked at me and you lied
Yeah, oh it really stunned me
When you went to the other side
I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
Yeah, I went down hard
Oh, but I got up again
I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
I went down hard
Oh, but I got up again
I went down hard
Like Billy the Kid
I went down hard

Billy The Kid
I'll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid,
I'll sing of the desperate deeds that he did,
Way out in New Mexico, long long ago
When a man's only chance was his own 44.
When Billy the Kid was a very young lad
In the old Silver City he went to the bad
Way out in the West with a gun in his hand
At the age of twelve years he first killed his man.
Fair Mexican maidens play guitars and sing
A song about Billy, the boy bandit king
How ere his young manhood had reached its sad end
He'd a notch on his pistol for twenty-one men.
'Twas on the same night when poor Billy died
He said to his friends: "I am not satisfied.
There are twenty-one men I have put bullets through
And sheriff Pat Garrett must make twenty-two."
Now this is how Billy the Kid met his fate,
The bright moon was shining, the hour was late
Shot down by Pat Garrett, who once was his friend
The young outlaw's life had now come to its end.
There's many a man with a face fine and fair
Who starts out in life with a chance to be square,
But just like poor Billy he wanders astray
And loses his life in the very same way.
Note: This song -- a pretty good one, I think -- is remembered
mainly because Woody Guthrie used the tune for the verse of So
Long, It's Been Good to Know You.
From Lomax-Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads
filename[ BILLYKID
play.exe BILLYKID

Racing down the highway
Road's open wide
A modern-day young gun
On a steel horse ride
Feeling like an outlaw I'm Billy the kid
Makin' most of this moment
'Cause who knows when it will all end
Always on the run
And whatever comes
I'm stickin' to my guns
They still call me Billy the kid
I'm still wanted for what I did
The price of fame is on my head
Can't shoot down old Billy the kid
Been told many times
To get outta town
I could walk away, baby
But I was born to fight
And I still believe
The west can be born to fight
And I still believe
The west can be won
I'll keep chasing those sunsets
With an angel riding shotgun
Papers say I'm dead
But I ain't buried yet
Still got bullets left
They still call me Billy the kid
I'm still wanted for what I did
The price of fame is on my head

Words and Music: CHARLIE DANIELS
Tabbed by Jerry Gant
Dm C
IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF TEXAS, EAST AND WEST OF EL PASO
A7 Dm
WHERE THE MIGHTY FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS GUARD THE TRAIL TO MEXICO
THERE'S A NEW-MADE WIDOW CRYING AND A HEARSE A ROLLIN SLOW
A7 Dm C/E F C/E Dm
I GUESS THE DEVILS PASSED THIS WAY AGAIN
THERE'S A LATHERED SORREL STALLION RUNNING THRU THE JOSHUA TREES
AND A YOUNG MAN IN THE SADDLE WITH HIS COAT TAILS IN THE BREEZE
HE'S GOT A SIX GUN ON HIS RIGHT HIP AND A RIFLE AT HIS KNEES
A7 Dm C Dm C F C
AND HE'S DEALING IN A GAME THAT HE CAN'T WIN
CHORUS
Dm C
POOR BILLY BONNEY, YOU'RE ONLY 21,
Bb F
PAT GARRETT'S GOT YOUR NAME ON EVERY BULLET IN HIS GUN
EVERY NOTCH YOU CARVE ON YOUR SIX GUN
HAS A BLOODY TALE TO TELL
Am7 Dm
YOU'RE A MILE AHEAD OF GARRETT AND A STEP OUTSIDE OF HELL
THOSE FANCY CLOTHES YOUR WEARIN AND THE WOMEN IN YOUR BED
CAN'T TAKE AWAY THE TRACES OF THE MEN THAT YOU'VE LEFT DEAD
AS YOU RIDE ACROSS THE BAD LANDS WITH A PRICE UPON YOUR HEAD
AND NOW THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE STARTS TO Turn
YOU'RE REPUTATION'S GROWN TILL IT'S THE BIGGEST IN THE LAND
AND THERE AIN'T ALOT OF PEOPLE LEFT WHO WANT TO CALL YOUR HAND
AND I GUESS YOU'LL GO DOWN SHOOTIN AND LIKE ALL BRANDED MEN
WHEN YOU SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL YOU GET BURNED

Strapped on my holster low across my hips
Two Colt .45's with white plastic grips
And I'd head west through our neighborhood
And they'd say, "Here comes young Billy and he's up to no good"
I rode a trail through the neighbor's back yard
Shooting the bad guys through my handlebars
Known for my bravery both far and near
Being late for supper was my only fear
I miss Billy the kid
The times that he had, the life that he lived
I guess he must've got caught, his innocence lost
I wonder where he is
I miss Billy the kid
These days I don't know whose side to be on
There's such a thin line between right and wrong
I live and learn, do the best I can
There's only so much you can do as a man
I miss Billy the kid
The times that he had, the life that he lived
I guess he must've got caught, his innocence lost
Lord, I wonder where he is
I miss Billy the kid
I miss Billy the kid
The times that he had, the life that he lived
I guess he must've got caught, his innocence lost
Lord, I wonder where he is

I´ll sing you a true song of Billy the Kid
I´ll sing of some desperate deeds that he did
´Way out in New Mexico long long ago
When a man's only chance was his own forty-four.
When Billy the Kid was a very young lad
In old Silver City he went to the bad
´Way out in the West with a gun in his hand
At the age of twelve years he did kill his first man.
There's Mexican maidens play guitars and sing
Songs about Billy, their boy bandit king
´Ere his young manhood has reached his sad end
With a notch an his pistol for twenty one men!
Was on a sad night when poor Billy died
He said to his friend, "I'm not satisfied
There's twenty one men I have put bullets through
Sheriff Pat Garrett must make twenty two!"
I´ll sing you how Billy the Kid met his fate
The bright moon was shinin', the hour was late
Shot down by Pat Garrett who once was his friend
The young outlaw's life is now come to an end.
There's many a man with a face fine and fair
Who start out in life with a chance to be square
Just like poor Billy they wander astray

Now once upon a time when the West was old
A ma saw her son was a sight to behold
He could shoot his daddy's gun like a straight arrow
He wrestled with the rattlesnakes before he walked
Ya, he grew up fast with a hardened grit
And he had the pluck and he had the wit
Ya his mamma called him William till he up and quit
And in these here parts he's known as Billy the Kid
I've had you in my sights, my arms for so long.
Where did you go? I didn't know.
I've been around here waiting for so long, so long
And I'll wait for you.
He was as tough as nails, barging in the saloon
Missing an eye, gun glowed in the moon
He called out to the crowd, "I don't want no fuss.
See, I'm looking for a runaway, who looks like this!"
And he slammed the paper down, it was covered in dust,
But the crowd kept silent, sure, he looked real tough,
But they knew the portrait well, and they knew not to,
Mess with Billy the Kid and his gang of thugs
I've had you in my sights, my arms for so long.
Where did you go? I didn't know.
I've been around here waiting for so long, so long
And I'll wait for you.
[x2]
The sheriff knocked on the door of a pretty girl
Tipped his hat, said, "We gotta have a look around.
We'll give you cash if you tip off the fugitive."
She bit her lip, she was in love and acted clueless.
He grabbed her arm and said, "We heard you been a harborin'.
Give him up, I give my word I'll keep your name clean."
She steered 'em clear of the cracks in the floorboards and
Said, "You'll never find him, you'll never find him!"
I've had you in my sights, my arms for so long.
Where did you go? I didn't know.
I've been around here waiting for so long, so long
And I'll wait for you.

In the southern part of Texas, east and west of El Paso
Where the mighty Franklin Mountains guard the trail to Mexico
There's a new made widow crying and a hearse a-rolling slow
And I guess that Devil's passed this way again
There's a lathered Sorrel Stallion running through the Joshua Trees
A young man in the saddle with his coat tails in the breeze
Got a six gun on his right hip and a rifle at his knee
And he's dealing in a game that he can't win
Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one
Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun
Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell
Well, you're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell
Them fancy clothes you're wearing and the women in your bed
Can't take away the faces of the men that you left dead
As you ride across the badlands with a price upon your head
Now that wheel or fortune starts to turn
Your reputation's grown 'til it's the biggest in the land
And there ain't a lot of people left who wanna call your hand
And I guess you go down shooting, just like all branded men
And when you shake hands with the Devil, you get burned
Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one
Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun
Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell
You're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell
Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one
Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun
Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell