Ringo----Lorne Greene

     

Narrated:



They lie in boot hills all through the west.

The outlaws, the gunslingers, the Billy the Kidds and worse.

Say a fella like the coward that shot Bill Hickok in the back.

Theres always one like that in every time of history.

Most of them were varmets, but every once in a while, in one of them,

there may have lived a man...



Spoken lyrics:



He lay face down in the desert sand

clutching a six gun in his hand

Shot from behind I though he was dead

for under his heart was an once of lead

But a spark still burned so I used my knife

and late that night I saved the life of Ringo



I nursed him 'til the danger passed

the days went by he mended fast

and then from dawn 'til setting sun

he practiced with that deadly gun

and hour and hour I watched in awe

No human being could match the draw

of Ringo



One day we rode the mountain crest

and I went east and he went west

I took to law and wore a star

while he spread terror near and far

with lead and blood he gained such fame

all through the west they feared the name

of Ringo



I knew someday I'd face the test

which one of us would be the best

and sure enough the word came down

that he was holed up in the town

I left the posse out on the street

and I went in alone to meet

Ringo



They said my speed was next to none

but my lightning draw had just begun

when I heard a blast that stunned my wrist

The gun went flying from my fist

and I was looking down the bore

of the deadly 44

of Ringo



They say that was the only time

that anyone had seen him smile

He slowly lowered his gun and then

he said to me "We're even, friend."

And so at last I understood

that there was still a spark of good

in Ringo



I blocked the path of his retreat

he turned and stepped into the street

a dozen guns spit fire and lead-



A moment later

he lay dead



The town began to shout and cheer

Nowhere was there shed a tear

for Ringo



The story spread throughout the land

that I had beaten Ringo's hand

and it was just the years they say

that made me put my guns away

but on his grave they can't explain

the tarnished star above the name

of Ringo