Karaoké Faleena (from El Paso) Marty Robbins

Out in New Mexico many long years ago

There in a shack on the desert one night in a storm

Amid streaks of lightnin' and loud desert thunder to a young Mexican couple a baby was born

Just as the baby cried thunder and lightnin' died

Moon gave its light to the world and the stars did the same

Mother and Father both proud of the daughter that heaven had sent them

Faleena was this baby's name

When she was seventeen bothered by crazy dreams she ran away from the shack and left them to roam

Father and Mother both asked one another what made her run away

What made Faleena leave home

Tired of the desert nights poverty, grief and strife she ran away late one night in the moon's golden gleam

She didn't know where she'd go but she'd get there and she would find happiness if she would follow her dream

After she ran away she went to Sante Fe and in the year that she stayed there she learned about life

In just a little while she learned that with a smile she could have pretty clothes

She could be any man's wife

Rich men romanced her

They dined and they danced her

She understood men and she treated them all just the same

A form that was fine and rare

Dark shinin' glossy hair

Lovely to look at

Faleena was this woman's name

Restless in Sante Fe she had to get away to any town where the lights had a much brighter glow

One cowboy mentioned the town of El Paso

They never stopped dancin' and money like whiskey did flow

She bought a one-way

A ticket from Sante Fe

Three days and nights on a stage with a rest now and then

She didn't mind that

She knew she would find that her new life would be more excitin' than where she had been

The stage made its last stop up there on the mountain top to let her see all of the lights at the foot of the hill

Her world was brighter and deep down inside her

An uncontrolled beatin'

Her young heart just wouldn't be still

She got a hotel

A room at the Lily Belle

Quickly she changed to a form-fittin' black satin dress

Every man stopped to stare at this form fine and rare

Even the women remarked of the charm she possessed

Dancin' and laughter was what she was after and

Rosa's cantina had lights with love in the gleam

That's what she hunted and that's what she wanted

Rosa's was one place a nice girl would never be seen

It was the same way it was back in Sante Fe

Men would make fools of themselves at the thought of romance

Rosa took heed of

The place was in need of this kind of excitement so she paid Faleena to dance

A year passed and maybe more and then through the swingin' doors

Came a young cowboy so tall and so handsomely dressed

This one was new in town

Hadn't been seen around

He was so different

He wasn't like all of the rest

Faleena danced close to him then threw a rose to him

Quickly he walked to her table and there he sat down

And in a day or so wherever folks would go they'd see this young cowboy showin' Faleena the town

Six weeks he went with her

Each minute spent with her but he was insanely jealous of glances she'd give

Inside he was hurtin' from all of her flirtin'

That was her nature and that was the way that she lived

She flirted one night

It started a gun-fight

And after the smoke cleared away on the floor lay a man

Faleena's young lover had shot down another and he had to leave there so out through the back door he ran

The next day at five o'clock she heard a rifle shot

Quickly she ran to the door that was facin' the pass

She saw her cowboy

Her wild-ridin' cowboy

Low in the saddle

Her cowboy was ridin' in fast

She ran to meet him

To kiss and to greet him

He saw her and motioned her back with a wave of his hand

Bullets were flyin'

Faleena was cryin' as she saw him fall from the saddle and into the sand

Faleena knelt near him to hold and to hear him

When she felt the warm blood that flowed from the wound in his side

He raised to kiss her and she heard him whisper

Never forget me Faleena

It's over, goodbye

Quickly she grabbed for the six-gun that he wore and screamin' in anger and placin' the gun to her breast

Bury us both deep and maybe we'll find peace

And pullin' the trigger she fell 'cross the dead cowboy's chest

Out in El Paso whenever the wind blows if you listen closely at night you will hear in the wind

A woman is cryin'

It's not the wind sighin'

Old timers tell you

Faleena is callin' for him

You'll hear them talkin' and you'll hear them walkin'

You'll hear them laugh and you'll look but there's no one around

Don't be alarmed

There is really no harm there

It's only the young cowboy showin' Faleena the town