Feleena [from El Paso] lyrics

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 it's light to the world and the stars did the same.

Mother and father, both proud of the daughter

That Heaven had sent them, Feleena 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 Feleena 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 Santa 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 shining glossy hair

Lovely to look at, Feleena was this woman's name.

Restless in Santa 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 one way a ticket from Santa 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 exciting than where she had been.

The stage made it's 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 beating, her young heart just wouldn't be still.

She got a hotel room at the Lily Belle

Quickly she changed to a form fitting 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 Santa 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 Feleena 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.

Feleena 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' Feleena 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 a -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.

Feleena'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 heart 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', Feleena was cryin'

As she saw him fall from the saddle and into the sand.

Feleena 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, Feleena 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'll hear in the wind.

A woman is cryin', it's not the wind sighin'

Old timer's tell you, Feleena 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' Feleena the town.