Johnny Cash - The Last Gunfighter Ballad lyrics

The old gunfighter stood on the
Porch and stared into sun
And relived all the old days back when
He was living by the gun
When deadly games of pride were played and
Living was mistakes not made

And the thought of the smell
Of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke
The thought of the smell of
The black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke
And it's always keep your back to the sun
And you can almost feel the
Weight of that gun
And it's faster than snakes or
A blink of the eye
And it's a time for all slow men to die
His eyes get squinty and
He's straight as log
And he empties his gun at the dirty dog

And he's hit by the smell
Of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke
Hit by the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke

Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar
And he's back in his chair in front of a bar
And the streets are empty and
The blood's all dried the dead are dust and
And the whiskey's inside
So buy him a drink and lend him an ear
He's nobody's fool but he's
The only one here

Who remembers the smell of
The black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke
Remembers the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke

Son I stood in that street
Before it was paved
I learned the shoot or be
Shot before I could shave
And I did it all for the money and the fame
Noble was nothing but feeling no shame
And nothing was sacred but staying alive
And all that I learned from a Colt 45

Was to cuss the smell of
The black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke
To cuss the smell of the black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke

Now he's just an old
Man that nobody believes
Says he's a gunfighter
The last of this breed
And there's ghosts in the
Street seeking revenge
Calling him out to the lunatic fringe
He's out in the traffic now checking the sun
And he's killed by a car as
He goes for his gun

So much for the smell of
The black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke so much for the smell of
The black powder smoke
And the stand in the street at
The turn of a joke