Sonora's Death Row Lyrics - Dave Alvin

Me and the boy's we cinched up our saddles 

And rode to Sonora last night 

Gun's hanging proud, daring out loud 

For anyone looking to fight 

Card cheats and rustlers would run for their holes 

When the boys from the old broken O 

Rode up and reined on the street that they named 

Sonora's death row 

Mescal is free at Amanda's saloon 

For the boy's from the old broken O 

Saturday nights in the town of Sonora 

Are the best in all Mexico 

They've got guitars and trumpets and sweet senoritas 

Who won't want to let you go 

You'd never believe such a gay happy time 

On the street called Sonora's death row 

Inside Amanda's we was a dancin' 

With all of Amanda's gals 

I won some silver at seven card stud 

So I was out doin' my pals 

But the whiskey and mescal, peso cigars 

Drove me outside for some air 

Somebody whispered, "Your life or your money 

I reached, but my gun wasn't there" 

I woke up face down in Amanda's back alley 

Aware of the fool I had been 

Rushed to my pony, grabbed my Winchester 

And entered Amanda's again 

Where I saw my partners twirling my pistols 

And throwing my money around 

Blinded by anger, I jacked the lever 

And one of them fell to the ground 

Amanda's got silent like night in the desert 

My friends stared in pure disbelief 

Amanda was kneeling beside the dead cowboy 

Plainly expressing her grief 

And as I bowed my head a trembled shot through me 

My six-gun was still at my side 

I felt my pockets, there was my money 

I fell to my knees and I cried 

A nightmare of mescal is all that it was 

For no one had robbed me at all 

I wish I was dreaming the sound of the gallows 

They're testing just outside the wall 

And the mescal's still free at Amanda's saloon 

For the boy's from the old broken O 

I'd give a ransom to drink there today 

Be free of Sonora's death row 

Yes I'd give a ransom to drink there today 

Be free of Sonora's death row