Cactus and the Desert Rose

(Dimond/Service)

She was barely past her eighteenth year

When she met Cactus Pete McGrew

He was apologetically handsome

In a way that he never knew

He was running from the U.S. Marshalls

For the murder of several men

But the way he touched her was anything

But murderous in its intent

Chorus:

She fell in love with an outlaw

And he fell in love with a queen

He'd shot up half New Mexico

In places she'd never been

Like a Rodeo and Juliet

How these star crossed lovers ever chose

But they lived like hot lovers

And died under the covers

The Cactus and the Desert Rose

He gave her her first taste of whiskey

At the Too Far Gone Saloon

Then they stumbled into the darkness

Made love under the light of the moon

He taught her the things that

A lady should never want to learn

How to shoot from twenty paces

And cheat at cards an' never get burned

Chorus

Well that day finally came when Cactus

Asked his Rose to come along

They followed the stars and they fell out of bars

Like you in some old cowboy song

But they were runnin' with the bad luck

And the bullets came that day

Now two flowers bloom in the dark and gloom

Of two unmarked side by side graves

Chorus

Dead Man's Hand

(Dimond/Service)

He was a stranger in town

And nobody seemed to know his name

He just waltzed into town and

Decided he'd join their poker game

He came off awful strong

Like so many city folk would

Well now dying's his business

And let me tell ya, business is good

Chorus;

Now he's face down for the count

Call the undertaker to make him his bed

Put the silver on his eyes

Death's the cold bride that he's gonna wed

Facing that pale white horse

Was something I reckon he never planned

But now I'm prying the warm six shooter

From the fingers of the dead mans hand

Old Jebediah Watson

From the farm just out yonder back

Was found dead one Sunday morning

Shot dead from young Jesse Black

Well the boys and me decided

To hunt that young vermin Jesse down

Now he's six feet closer to the devil

But a dollar short of entry under ground

Chorus

Well I sure have my vices

And the skin of a pretty lady sure tastes sweet

So much to discover

One another, it just can't be beat

Well it seems that my luck has run out

Cause I picked the sheriff's wife

I've run of whiskey and money

And good luck and life

Chorus:

Now I'm face down for the count

Call the undertaker to make me my bed

Put the silver on my eyes

Death's the cold bride that I'm gonna wed

Facing that pale white horse

Was something I reckon I never planned

But now they're prying the warm six shooter

From the fingers of this dead man's hand

Shes My Reason For Livin' (And I Live To Drink)

(Dimond/Service) 

She's got a crazy crazy hold on me

One I can't really quite explain

The more she treats me like a government mule

The more I'm runnin' back again

But I've found a way to tolerate

And put up with her evil mind

I take a little bit a whiskey

And a helluva lot of wine

Chorus:

Cause as God's up in the heavens

And there's a fire burning down below

There's only one way or the highway

And I'm sure you know the way it goes

I've tried other ways to fix this all

I tried a lot more than you think

Cause she's my reason for livin'

And I live to drink

You see she really can be a sweet woman

If I say all the right words and such

But bein' a drunk and well, bein' a man

You know that doesn't happen much

But I've found a way to keep me happy

To keep everything goin' fine

I take a little bit of whiskey

And a helluva lot of wine

Chorus

Well she tries to be a textbook lover

But she won't let me turn a single page

If all the world is like the theatre

She won't let me up on the stage

But I found a way to steal that kiss

Yeah the last laugh is always mine

I take a little bit of whiskey

And a helluva lot of wine

Chorus

Swingin' By My Neck

(Dimond/Service) 

It was getting late and I had one hand to go

I was sure I'd win the loot and go on home

Then in walked Bernie McGee from south Tennessee

The man with eyes as black as coal

He threw down his money and said I'm in the next hand

I tried to argue but he smiled like the damned

I threw down by cards but he just lit up a smoke

And said "Youll never beat my hand"

Chorus:

When I awoke this mornin'

I was dead

Had a rope around my throat

Canvas bag upon my head

It seems that Id been drinkin'

Lost a bet

But don't leave me there

In the city square

Swingin' by my neck

Chorus

Well the clock struck twelve and it turned hotter than hell

And I could see the fire in ol' Bernie's soul

He'd won another hand, just like the bastard planned

And I was 200 bucks in the hole

Bernie laughed and said "Let's make this a game

Put our lives on the table" and I stalled

Something inside me made me tell him "I'm in..."

And then in seconds flat ol' Bernie called

Chorus

(spoken) 

Well I kicked over the table and I went for his throat

Like a demon with eyes a full of fire

I called him on his game, cursed his crooked crooked game

Called that son-of-a-bitch a cheat, a goddamn a liar

Well ol' Bernie had won so I drew out my gun

I stared into his evil eyes of black

I tightened on the trigger with my itchy drinkin' finger

And told him that I wanted it all back

He told me I had lost at such a heavy heavy cost

I'd have to pay the piper back at dawn

I shook my head no and said one of us must go

But the rest is a whiskey flavoured fog

Chorus