The Ballad Of Bill Thaxton

C


[Verse 1]

C            G7        C
Bill Thaxton was an ex-Ranger
F                     C
One of the bravest by far
     G7                         C           Am
It's said that old Bill was the fastest man ever
   D      D7         G   G7
To pin on a Ranger's star
C        G7            C
Stories about him were legend
F                        C
Bill was the best of the bold
G7                         C
Bad men all feared him way back in his day
G7                     C
But he was now growing old


[Verse 2]

C           G7           C
Into Bill's town rode an outlaw
   F                         C
He wore his gun low and tied down
   G7                        C              Am
He reined in his horse and announced to the crowd
        D           D7         G   G7
"If you speak to me call me Sundown"
    C            G7           C
His clothes were all dark and fancy
    F                         C
And topped by a black leather vest
    G7                C
Somebody asked how he came by his name
    G7                   C
And if he was one of the best.


[Bridge 1]

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


[Verse 3]

     C              G7        C
Said he wouldn't be with us tomorrow
   F                    C
He only rode in for one thing
   G7                      C            Am
He only stopped by to make Bill Thaxton die
   D        D7         G    G7
So he could add to his fame.
 C            G7        C
"Go give Bill Thaxton a message
    F                      C
And tell him a killer's in town
G7                         C
Tell him we'll meet at the end of the street
G7                      C
Just as the sun's going down"


[Verse 4]

C        G7          C
Somebody said it had been years
      F                    C
Since old Bill had toted a gun
G7                      C          Am
Sundown replied that it wasn't his hide
D           D7            G   G7
Killing old Bill would be fun
    C          G7            C
The old Ranger sent back his answer
 F                       C
"Tell him that I'm on my way
G7                      C
I've never ran and I'll meet this young man
G7                 C
At any time of the day"


[Bridge 2]

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


[Verse 5]

C           G7            C
Slowly Bill slid from the saddle
    F                     C
And started to make his advance
    G7                     C             Am
The sun hit the old Ranger square in the eyes
    D           D7         G     G7
The shadows had started to dance
C            G7         C
Bill started talking to Sundown
F                         C
Judging his distance that way
      G7                         C
Their stride was the same and at just thirty feet
G7                         C
Both of the men made their play


[Verse 6]

C                  G7           C
Bill's gun slipped leather like lightning
    F                       C
His forty-four spoke with a whine
    G7                     C          Am
The sun didn't bother Bill Thaxton at all
D             D7         G     G7
Cause the old ranger was blind
C           G7            C
Six shots delivered their message
    F                      C
The Ranger had emptied his gun
    G7                          C
Old Bill gave a sigh when there was no reply
   G7                         C
He knew that once more he had won


[Bridge 3]

    C         F
         The old Ranger lowered his six gun
   F
He just stood there staring ahead
F
Watching you'd think that old Bill didn't know
   C                        F   G G7 C
In front of him Sundown lay dea-------d


[Outro]

C             G          C
Bill has been gone for a long time
    F                      C
But old timers still can recall
    G7                       C
The day the old Ranger stood up to the test
    G7                         C
And proved he was best of them all.