HE LAY FACEDOWN
IN THE DESERT SAND
CLUTCHING A SIX-GUN
IN HIS HAND
SHOT FROM BEHIND
I THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD
FOR UNDER HIS HEART
WAS AN OUNCE 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 TILL
THE DANGER PASSED
THE DAYS WENT BY
HE MENDED FAST
AND THEN FROM DAWN
TILL SETTING SUN
HE PRACTICED WITH
THAT DEADLY GUN
AND HOUR ON 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 IN 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 STUNG MY WRIST
THE GUN WENT FLYING
FROM MY FIST
AND I WAS LOOKING
DOWN THE BORE
OF THE DEADLY
FORTY-FOUR
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