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Mr. Shorty
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Marty Robbins
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1
Nobody knew where he came from
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They only knew he came in
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Slowly he walked to the end of the bar
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And he ordered up one slug of gin
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Well, I could see that he wasn't a large man
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I could tell that he wasn't too tall
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I judged him to be 'bout five foot three
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And his voice was a soft Texas drawl
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Said he was needin' some wages
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'Fore he could ride for the west
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Said he could do most all kind of work
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Said he could ride with the best
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There in his blue eyes was sadness
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That comes from the need of a friend
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And tho' he tried, he still couldn't hide
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The loneliness there deep within
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Said he would work through the winter
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For thirty a month and his board
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I started to say where he might land a job
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When a fellow came in through the door
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And I could tell he was lookin' for trouble
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From the way that he came stompin' in
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He told me to leave Shorty there by himself
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Come down and wait on a man
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The eyes of the little man narrowed
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The smile disappeared from his face
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Gone was the friendliness that I had seen
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And a wild look of hate took its place
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But the big one continued to mock him
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And he told me that I'd better go
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Find him a couple of glasses of milk
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Then maybe Shorty would grow
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When the little man spoke, there was stillness
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He made sure that everyone heard
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Slowly he stepped away from the bar
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And I still remember these words
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Oh, it's plain that you're lookin' for trouble
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Trouble's what I try to shun
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If that's what you want, then that's what you'll get
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'Cause cowboy, we're both packin' guns
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His hand was already positioned
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Feet wide apart on the floor
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I hadn't noticed but there on his hip
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Was a short barreled bass forty-four
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It was plain, he was ready and waitin'
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He leaned a bit forward and said
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"When you call me Shorty, say Mister, my friend
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Maybe you'd rather be dead"
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In the room was a terrible silence
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As the big one stepped out on the floor
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All drinkin' stopped and the tick of the clock
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Said death would wait ten seconds more
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He cussed once or twice in a whisper
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And he said with a snarl on his lips
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Nobody's Mister to me, little man
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And he grabbed for the gun on his hips
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But the little man's hands was like lightning
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The bass forty-four was the same
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The forty-four spoke and it sent lead and smoke
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And seventeen inches of flame
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For the big one had never cleared leather
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Beaten before he could start
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A little round hole had appeared on his shirt
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The bullet went clear through his heart
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The little man stood there a moment
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Then holstered the bass forty-four
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It's always this way so I never stay
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Slowly he walked out the door
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Nobody knew where he came from
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They won't forget he came by
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They won't forget how a forty-four gun
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One night made the difference in size
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As for me, I'll remember the sadness
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Shown in the eyes of the man
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If we meet someday, you can bet I would say
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That it's me, Mr. Shorty, your friend
Mr. Shorty
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