"Sonora's Death Row" (Kevin "Blackie" Farrell)
As done by: Tom Russell
From: "Cowboy Real" (Sonet - 1991)
Chords by: Tabbedout
Tuning:
DADGAD
Capo 3rd fret:
Chords used:
D: 004200
Bm: 024000
G: 550000
D/F#: 440200
Em: 220000
A: 002200
Intro: (D)(Bm)(G)(D)(G)
1.Verse:
Well the (D)Mezcal is free in (Bm)Amanda's saloon
For the (G)boys from the old Broken (D)O
Saturday nights in the (Bm)town of Sonora
Are the (G)best in all Mexi(D)co
They've got (G)guitars and trumpets and (D/F#)sweet senoritas
Who (Em)won't want to let you (A)go
You'd (D)never believe such a (Bm)gay happy town
Had a (G)street named Sonora's Death (D)Row (G)
2.Verse:
Well (D)inside Amanda's (Bm)we were all dancin'
With (G)all of Amanda's (D)gals
I won some silver at (Bm)seven card stud
So (G)I was outdoin' my (D)pals
But the (G)whiskey and mezcal and (D/F#)peso cigars
(Em)Drove me outside for some (A)air
Where (D)somebody whispered "Your (Bm)life or your money"
I (G)reached but my gun wasn't (D)there (G)
(D)(Bm)(G)(D)(G)
3.Verse:
[ Tab from: http://www.guitaretab.com/k/keen-jr-robert-earl/9624.html ]
I (D)woke up face down in A(Bm)manda's back alley
A(G)ware of the fool I had (D)been
I rushed to my pony, I (Bm)grabbed my Winchester
And I (G)entered Amanda's a(D)gain
Where (G)I saw my partners (D/F#)twirlin' my pistols
And (Em)throwin' my money a(A)round
(D)Blinded by rage, (Bm)I pulled the trigger
And (G)one of them fell to the (D)ground (G)
(D)(Bm)(G)(D)(G)
4.Verse:
Well A(D)manda's grew silent like (Bm)night in the desert
My (G)friends stared in pure dis(D)belief
Amanda was kneeling be(Bm)side the dead cowboy
(G)Plainly expressing her (D)grief
And as (G)I bowed my head, a (D/F#)tremble shot through me
My (Em)six-gun was there at my (A)side
I (D)felt in my pockets and (Bm)there was my money
I (G)fell to my knees and I (D)cried (G)
5.Verse:
For a (D)nightmare of mezcal was (Bm)all that it was
(G)No one had robbed me at (D)all
I wish I was dreamin' the (Bm)sound of the gallows
They're (G)testin' just outside the (D)walls
And the (G)mezcal's still free in A(D/F#)manda's saloon
For the (Em)boys from the old Broken (A)O
And (D)I'd give a ransom to (Bm)drink there today
And be (G)free of Sonora's Death (D)Row (G)
Yeah I'd give a ransom to (Bm)drink there today
And be (G)free of Sonora's Death (D)Row (G)
Tom calles this "the best cowboy twist-of-fate song ever written", Robert Earl Keen and
Richard Shindell has also done it.
