In a border cantina south of the river a gray-haired vaquero sits alone

He used to work the cattle on the old broken arrow, a lifetime of hurting tattooed on his soul

See you couldn’t buy an acre on a vaqueros wages, no hope for a family, or making a home

But home ain’t a place home is Maria, she's up there washing dishes at the Aztec Cafe

One day the owner of the arrow sat in a corner booth near the doorway of that little cafe

He was a hot-tempered man with a quick right hand and a downright dirty way

Maria spilled his coffee cup and before she could clean it up he swung his hand across her face

The people stopped and stared as he grabbed her by the hair and that vaquero made his way across the place

There was nowhere to run when the man grabbed his gun and turned it Maria's way

Blood hit the floor and ran out the door ran out the door

CHORUS:

That old dirty river is a wall of his prison, no amount of water or razor wire

Could keep him away from Maria

He said I killed that man before he pulled the trigger on my love my beautiful wife

But there is no justice for an illegal man when he takes a wealthy rancher's life

It's been 5 years since he's seen Maria, his love, his beautiful wife

In a border cantina Ciudad Juarez, a gray haired vaquero answers my call

We’ve got a window, see you in El Paso, if you slip up you're on your own

CHORUS:

That old dirty river is a wall of his prison, no amount of water or razor wire

Could keep him away from Maria

He arrives as planned in a one-ton van Smiles as I give him his pay

He's off to rondo to meet his Maria and buy her the key to the Aztec Cafe

That gray-haired vaquero has all he ever wanted adios mi amigo I wish you well

Now I've got a plan and a white chevy van and 200 pounds to sell