Feleena (from El Paso) Lyrics - Marty Robbins

Out in New Mexico, many long years ago 

There in a shack on the desert, one night in a storm 

Amid streaks of lightnin' and loud desert thunder 

To a young Mexican couple, a baby was born 

Just as the baby cried, thunder and lightnin' died 

Moon gave it's light to the world and the stars did the same 

Mother and father, both proud of the daughter 

That Heaven had sent them, Feleena was this baby's name 

When she was seventeen, bothered by crazy dreams 

She ran away from the shack and left them to roam 

Father and mother, both asked one another 

What made her run away, what made Feleena leave home 

Tired of the desert nights, poverty, grief and strife 

She ran away late one night in the moon's golden gleam 

She didn't know where she'd go but she'd get there 

And she would find happiness if she would follow her dream 

After she ran away, she went to Santa Fe 

And in the year that she stayed there, she learned about life 

In just a little while she learned that with a smile 

She could have pretty clothes, she could be any man's wife 

Rich men romanced her, they dined and they danced her 

She understood men and she treated them all just the same 

A form that was fine and rare, dark shining glossy hair 

Lovely to look at, Feleena was this woman's name 

Restless in Santa Fe, she had to get away 

To any town where the lights had a much brighter glow 

One cowboy mentioned the town of El Paso 

They never stopped dancin' and money like whiskey would flow 

meaning 

 bysongwriter1 

The lyrics are not fatherly grieved to strife. It is Tired of the desert life poverty grief and strife. See all 

She bought one way a ticket from Santa Fe 

Three days and nights on a stage with a rest now and then 

She didn't mind that she knew she would find that 

Her new life would be more exciting than where she had been 

The stage made it's last stop, up there on the mountain top 

To let her see all the lights at the foot of the hill 

Her world was brighter and deep down inside her 

An uncontrolled beating her young heart just wouldn't be still 

She got a hotel room at the Lily Belle 

Quickly she changed to a form fitting black satin dress 

Every man stopped to stare, at this form fine and rare 

Even the women remarked of the charm she possessed 

Dancin' and laughter, was what she was after 

And Rosa's Cantina had lights with love in the gleam 

That's what she hunted and that's what she wanted 

Rosa's was one place, a nice girl would never be seen 

It was the same way, it was back in Santa Fe 

Men would make fools of themselves at the thought of romance 

Rosa took heed of the place was in need of 

This kind of excitement, so she paid Feleena to dance 

A year passed and maybe more and then through the swingin' doors 

Came a young cowboy so tall and so handsomely dressed 

This one was new in town, hadn't been seen around 

He was so different, he wasn't like all of the rest 

Feleena danced close to him, then threw a rose to him 

Quickly he walked to her table and there he sat down 

And in a day or so, wherever folks would go 

They'd see this young cowboy, showin' Feleena the town 

Six weeks he went with her, each minute spent with her 

But he was insanely jealous of glances she'd give 

Inside he was a hurtin', from all of her flirtin' 

That was her nature and that was the way that she lived 

She flirted one night, it started a gun fight 

And after the smoke cleared away on the floor lay a man 

Feleena's young lover had shot down another 

And he had to leave there, so out through the back door he ran 

The next day at five o'clock, she heart a rifle shot 

Quickly she ran to the door that was facin' the pass 

She saw her cowboy, her wild ridin' cowboy 

Low in the saddle, her cowboy was ridin' in fast 

She ran to meet him to kiss and to greet him 

He saw her and motioned her back with a wave of his hand 

Bullets were flyin', Feleena was cryin' 

As she saw him fall from the saddle and into the sand 

Feleena knelt near him to hold and to hear him 

When she felt the warm blood that flowed from the wound in his side 

He raised to kiss her and she heard him whisper 

"Never forget me, Feleena it's over, goodbye" 

Quickly she grabbed for the six gun that he wore 

And screamin' in anger and placin' the gun to her breast 

Bury us both deep and maybe we'll find peace 

And pullin' the trigger, she fell 'cross the dead cowboy's chest 

Out in El Paso, whenever the wind blows 

If you listen closely at night, you'll hear in the wind 

A woman is cryin', it's not the wind sighin' 

Old timer's tell you, Feleena is callin' for him 

You'll hear them talkin' and you'll hear them walkin' 

You'll hear them laugh and you'll look but there's no one around 

Don't be alarmed, there is really no harm there 

It's only the young cowboy, showin' Feleena the town