Pancho and Lefty
Emmylou Harris
Version
published by
thisworldfor
[Intro]C[Verse]C GLiving on the road my friend, isgonna keep you free and cleanLiving on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and cleanFNow you wear your skin like iron,C GYour breath as hard as keroseneFYou weren't your mama's only boy,C Fbut her favorite one it seemsYou weren't your mama's only boy, but her favorite one it seemsAm FShe began to cry when you saidC Ggoodbye,She began to cry when you said goodbye,F Am Am GAnd sank into your dreams[Verse]C GPancho was a bandit boy, his horsewas fast as polished steelPancho was a bandit boy, his horse was fast as polished steelFHe wore his gun outside his pantsC GFor all the honest world to feelFPancho met his match you know onC Fthe deserts down in MexicoPancho met his match you know on the deserts down in MexicoAm F C GAnd nobody heard his dying words, ahF Am Am Gbut that's the way it goesAnd nobody heard his dying words, ah but that's the way it goes[Chorus]F CAll the Federales say they couldFhave had him any dayAll the Federales say they could have had him any dayAm F C GThey only let him slip away out ofF Am Am Gkindness, I supposeThey only let him slip away out of kindness, I suppose[Verse]C GLefty, he can't sing the blues allnight long like he used to.Lefty, he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to.FThe dust that Pancho bit down southC Gended up in Lefty's mouthThe dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouthFThe day they laid poor Pancho low,C FLefty split for OhioThe day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for OhioAm F C GWhere he got the bread to go,F Am Am Gthere ain't nobody knowsWhere he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows[Chorus]F CAll the Federales say could haveFhad him any dayAll the Federales say could have had him any dayAm F C GWe only let him slip away out ofFkindness, IAm Am F C CsupposeWe only let him slip away out of kindness, I suppose[Solo]| F | F | C | F || Am | F C | G | G | F |
| Am | Am G |
[Verse]C GThe poets tell how Pancho fell, andLefty's living in a cheap hotelThe poets tell how Pancho fell, and Lefty's living in a cheap hotelFThe desert's quiet and Cleveland'scold,The desert's quiet and Cleveland's cold,C GAnd so the story ends we're toldFPancho needs your prayers it'sC Ftrue, but save a few for LeftytooPancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty tooAm F C GHe only did what he had to do, andF Am Am Gnow he's growing oldHe only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old[Chorus]F CAll the Federales say could haveFhad him any dayAll the Federales say could have had him any dayAm F C GWe only let him slip away out ofF Am Am Gkindness, I supposeWe only let him slip away out of kindness, I supposeF CA few gray Federales say could haveFhad him any dayA few gray Federales say could have had him any dayAm F C GWe only let him go so long, out ofF Am Am F Cof kindness, I supposeWe only let him go so long, out of of kindness, I suppose