Marty Robbins - The ballad of bill thaxton

^CBill Thaxton ^G7was an ex-^CRanger ^FOne of the bravest by ^Cfar It's ^G7said that old Bill was the ^Cfastest man ^Amever To ^Dpin on ^D7a Ranger's ^Gstar^{G7 C}Stories a^G7bout him were ^Clegend ^FBill was the best of the ^Cbold ^G7Bad men all feared him way ^Cback in his day ^G7But he was now growing ^Cold

^CInto Bill's ^G7town rode an ^Coutlaw He ^Fwore his gun low and tied ^Cdown He ^G7reined in his horse and an^Cnounced to the ^Amcrowd "If you ^Dspeak to me ^D7call me Sun^Gdown^G7" His ^Cclothes were ^G7all dark and ^Cfancy And ^Ftopped by a black leather ^Cvest Some^G7body asked how he ^Ccame by his name And ^G7if he was one of the ^Cbest.

^C The ^Feyes of the tall stranger narrowed He ^Fgrinned like the devil possessed "^FI never fight till the sun's going down C F G G7 C And my back is facing the We--------st"

Said ^Che wouldn't be ^G7with us to^Cmorrow He ^Fonly rode in for one ^Cthing He ^G7only stopped by to make ^CBill Thaxton ^Amdie So ^Dhe could ^D7add to his ^Gfame.^G7 "^CGo give Bill ^G7Thaxton a ^Cmessage And ^Ftell him a killer's in ^Ctown ^G7Tell him we'll meet at the ^Cend of the street ^G7Just as the sun's going ^Cdown"

^CSomebody ^G7said it had ^Cbeen years Since ^Fold Bill had toted a ^Cgun ^G7Sundown replied that it ^Cwasn't his ^Amhide ^DKilling old ^D7Bill would be ^Gfun ^G7 The ^Cold Ranger ^G7sent back his ^Canswer "^FTell him that I'm on my ^Cway ^G7I've never ran and I'll ^Cmeet this young man ^G7At any time of the ^Cday"

^{C F}Bill got there just about sunset It ^Fstill hung like fire in the sky In ^Fjust a few moments out there in the street C F G G7 C Old Bill or the outlaw would die----------

^CSlowly Bill ^G7slid from the ^Csaddle And ^Fstarted to make his ad^Cvance The ^G7sun hit the old Ranger ^Csquare in the ^Ameyes The ^Dshadows had ^D7started to ^Gdance ^{G7 C}Bill started ^G7talking to ^CSundown ^FJudging his distance that ^Cway Their ^G7stride was the same and at ^Cjust thirty feet ^G7Both of the men made their ^Cplay

^CBill's gun slipped ^G7leather like ^Clightning His ^Fforty-four spoke with a ^Cwhine The ^G7sun didn't bother Bill ^CThaxton at ^Amall ^DCause the old ^D7ranger was ^Gblind ^{G7 C}Six shots de^G7livered their ^Cmessage The ^FRanger had emptied his ^Cgun Old ^G7Bill gave a sigh when there ^Cwas no reply He ^G7knew that once more he had ^Cwon

^C The o^Fld Ranger lowered his six gun He ^Fjust stood there staring ahead ^FWatching you'd think that old Bill didn't know In ^Cfront of him Sundown lay ^Fdea-^G--^G7---^C-d

^CBill has been ^Ggone for a ^Clong time But ^Fold timers still can re^Ccall The ^G7day the old Ranger stood ^Cup to the test And ^G7proved he was best of them ^Call.