Ballad Of Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh

(album: George's Bar - 1997)

My daddy was an outlaw, mom died giving birth to me, they both let me all alone when I was on bended knee,
if you don't like my story I suggest you turn the page, I don't need no preaching I ain't got no soul to save.

My name is Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh and this here is Tennessee Jack, don't you give us any lip now boy or today will be your last,
when the bank was dry we said good-bye and walked out to the street, when a cloud of bullets came a thundering down and took Tennessee to his knees.

I just stood there and watched him bleeding like a fool out in the rain, didn't have time to think when I jumped through the banks front window pane, grabbed the teller in a blink of an eye put a colt up to his head, said careful son don't try to run or tomorrow will be your last.

I've got to fly like an eagle, free like a bird on the wind,
hell fire and brimstone are coming down on me,
mister I was born of sin.

Sat down in the corner and rolled a little home grown, said if I'm gonna die today I sure as hell ain't going alone,
so I ran out the bank a shooting I was two for two at first, until I felt a painful sound as a bullet tore my shirt.

I've got to fly like an eagle, free like a bird on the wind,
hell fire and brimstone are coming down on me,
mister I was born of sin.

I crawled back to the alley way where I knew my horse was tied, and that's where all the legends say that Arkansas Dave Rudebaugh died,
but I was in a place so far from there in a time so long ago, in the arms of a pretty little senorita on the Gulf of Mexico.

I've got to fly like an eagle, free like a bird on the wind,
hell fire and brimstone are coming down on me,
mister I was born of sin.