Ballad Of The Alamo Lyrics - No. 1 Cowboy - Marty Robbins

In the southern part of Texas 

In the town of San Antone 

There's a fortress all in ruins that the weeds have overgrown 

You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a-one 

But sometimes between the setting and the rising of the sun 

You can hear a ghostly bugle 

As the men go marching by 

You can hear them as they answer 

To that roll call in the sky. 

Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett, and a hundred eighty more 

Captain Dickinson, Jim Bowie 

Present and accounted for. 

Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis 

"Get some volunteers and go 

Fortify the Alamo." 

Well the men came from Texas 

And from old Tennessee 

And they joined up with Travis 

Just to fight for the right to be free. 

Indian scouts with squirrel guns 

Men with muzzle-loaders 

Stood together, heel and toe 

To defend the Alamo. 

"You may ne'er see your loved ones," 

Travis told them that day 

"Those who want to can leave now 

Those who fight to the death let 'em stay." 

In the sand he drew a line 

With his army sabre 

Out of a hundred eighty five 

Not a soldier crossed the line 

With his banners a-dancin' 

In the dawn's golden light 

Santa Anna came prancing 

On a horse that was black as the night. 

Sent an officer to tell 

Travis to surrender 

Travis answered with a shell 

And a rousing rebel yell 

Santa Anna turned scarlet 

"Play deguello!" he roared 

"I will show them no quarter 

Every one will be put to the sword!" 

One hundred and eighty five 

Holding back five thousand 

Five days, six days, eight days, ten 

Travis held and held again 

Then he sent for replacements 

For his wounded and lame 

But the troops that were coming 

Never came, never came, never came... 

Twice he charged and blew recall 

On the fatal third time 

Santa Anna breached the wall 

And he killed 'em, one and all 

Now the bugles are silent 

And there's rust on each sword 

And the small band of soldiers... 

Lie asleep in the arms of the Lord... 

In the southern part of Texas 

Near the town of San Antone 

Like a statue on his pinto rides a cowboy all alone 

And he sees the cattle grazing where a century before 

Santa Anna's guns were blazing and the cannons used to roar 

And his eyes turn sorta misty 

And his heart begins to glow 

And he takes his hat off slowly... 

To the men of Alamo. 

To the thirteen days of glory 

At the siege of Alamo...