Ringo

They lie in boothills all through the West The outlaws, the gunslingers The Billy the Kids, and worse Say a fella like the coward That shot Bill Hickock in the back There's always one like that in every time of history Most of them were varmints But every once in a while in one of them There may have lived A man He lay face down in the desert sand Clutching his six-gun in his hand Shot from behind, I thought he was dead But under his heart was an ounce of lead But a spark still burned so I used my knife And late that night I saved the life of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) I nursed him 'til the danger passed The days went by, he mended fast And then from dawn 'til setting sun He practiced with that deadly gun And hour on hour I watched in awe No human being could match the draw of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) One day we rode the mountain crest And I went East, and he went West I took to law and wore a star While he spread terror near and far With lead and blood he gained such fame All through the West they feared the name of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) I knew someday I'd face the test Which one of us would be the best And sure enough the word came down That he was holed up in the town I left the posse out in the street And I went in alone to meet Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) They said my speed was next to none But my lightning draw had just begun When I heard a blast that stung my wrist The gun went flying from my fist And I was looking down the bore Of the deadly 44 of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) They say that was the only time That anyone had seen him smile He slowly lowered his gun and then He said to me "We're even, friend" And so at last I understood That there was still a spark of good in Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) I blocked the path of his retreat He turned and stepped into the street A dozen guns spit fire and lead A moment later, he lay dead The town began to shout and cheer Nowhere was there shed a tear for Ringo (Ringo) The story spread throughout the land That I had beaten Ringo's hand And it was just the years, they say That made me put my guns away But on his grave they can't explain The tarnished star above the name of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) (Ringo, Ringo)