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Cottonwood Tree
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Marty Robbins
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1
I rode into Tucson three hours ago
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For supplies and a short friendly game of poker
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While Smitty put some new shoes on
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Old Dan before he goes lame.
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I sat in a game at the Miner's Saloon
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Soon I had doubled my stake
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The cards run like they'd been dealt by Lady Luck
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They were just sealin' my fate
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A young cowboy lost more than he could afford
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And accused me of dealin' too smart
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His draw was too slow and he fell to the floor
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With three bullets close to the heart
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Oh, cottonwood tree are you waiting for me
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Waiting to take me away
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I've done no wrong but the town cannot see
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And so with my life I must pay.
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A crowd started gatherin' the sheriff came in
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I handed him over my gun
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Was then when I found out the boy I had killed
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Was the town's biggest man's only son.
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I tried to explain I had shot in defense
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It was the young cowboy or me
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The crowd wouldn't listen so they drug me out
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To the limb of this cottonwood tree.
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Majestically standing out here all alone
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It's spring and the valley is green
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But I can't admire a place It don't belong to me
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It's all like a bad dream.
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But old Dan's beneath me with new shows and all
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As they place the noose round my neck
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Cowboys I've never laid eyes on before
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Are tyin' my hands to my back.
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Oh, cottonwood tree are you waiting for me
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Waiting to take me away
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I've done no wrong but the town cannot see
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And so with my life I must pay.
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I see hate in the eyes of the town's biggest man
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As he pulls a branch from the tree
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To whip the backside of my old pony Dan
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So he'll run out from under me.
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Insane, he won't listen to my last appeal
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A wild grin has covered his face
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As I tried to reason just how he would feel
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If he were up here in my place.
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There's many a mountain trail I'll never ride
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Green valleys I'll never see
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A young cowboy died and a man's foolish pride
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Brought me to this cottonwood tree.
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My face is turned upward and I cannot breathe
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The sky's growing dark overhead
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The knot's pulling tight as my body swepts free
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A few moments more I'll be dead.
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Oh, cottonwood tree are you waiting for me
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Waiting to take me away
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I've done no wrong but the town cannot see
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And so with my life I must pay...
Marty Robbins - El Paso (Live)
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