Living on

the road my friend

was gonna keep

you free and clean

Now you were

your skin like iron

and your breath's

as hard as kerosene

You weren't your mama's

only boy but her

favorite one it seems

She began to cry

when you said goodbye

and sank into your dreams

Poncho was a bandit boy

his horse was fast

as polished steel

He wore his gun

outside his pants

for all the honest

world to feel

Poncho met his

match you know

on the deserts

down in Mexico

Nobody heard

his dyin' words

ah but that's

the way it goes

All the Federals say

they could've had

him any day

only let him hang around

out of kindness I suppose

Lefty he can't

sing the blues

all night long

like he used to

The dust that Poncho

bit down south

ended up in

Lefty's mouth

Day they laid

poor Poncho low

Lefty split for Ohio

Where he got

the bread to go

there ain't nobody knows

All the Federals say

they could've had

him any day

We only let him slip away

out of kindness I suppose

So the poets

tell how Poncho fell

and Lefty's living

in a cheap hotel

The desert's quiet

and Cleveland's cold

and so the story

ends we're told

Poncho needs

your prayers it's true

but save a few

for Lefty too

He just do

what he had to do

and now he's growing old

All the few Federals say

they could've had

him any day

We only let him go so long

out of kindness I suppose

A few Federals say

could've had him any day

We only let him go so long

out of kindness I suppose