Pancho and Lefty

Willie Nelson

About Pancho and Lefty

"Pancho and Lefty" is a song written by country music artist Townes Van Zandt. Often considered his "most enduring and well-known song," Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. The song has been recorded by several artists since its composition and performance by van Zandt, with the Willie Nelson version selling the most copies and reaching the Billboard top hits list.


Year:
2005
4:47
34 

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Living on the road my friend,
Was gonna keep you free and clean
And now you wear your skin like iron,
And your breath as hard as kerosene

You weren't your mama's only boy,
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye,
And sank into your dreams

Pancho was a bandit boy,
His horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel

Pancho met his match you know
On the deserts down in Mexico,
Nobody heard his dying words,
Ah but that's the way it goes

All the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I suppose

Lefty, he can't sing the blues
All night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south
Ended up in Lefty's mouth

The day they laid poor Pancho low,
Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go,
There ain't nobody knows

All the Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I suppose

The poets tell how Pancho fell,
And Lefty's living in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold,
And so the story ends we're told

Pancho needs your prayers it's true,
But save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do,
And now he's growing old

All the Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness, I suppose

A few gray Federales say
We could have had him any day
We only let him go so long
Out of kindness, I suppose

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Willie Nelson

Willie Hugh Nelson (pronounced /wɪli nɛlsən /; born April 30, 1933) is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. He was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed at the end of the 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana. more »

17 fans

Written by: Townes Van Zandt

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


7 facts about this song

Song Background
1. "Pancho and Lefty" is a folk country song written by Townes Van Zandt. 2. It is among Van Zandt's most famous works and is considered a genre classic.
Household Version
3. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard covered the song and their version was a number one hit on Billboard's country songs chart in 1983.
Song Inspiration
4. Van Zandt reportedly said that the song's characters, Pancho and Lefty, came to him in a dream. 5. He never specified who or what Pancho and Lefty represented, leaving interpretation up to the listener.
Lyrics and Theme
6. The song tells a story of a Mexican bandit named Pancho and his friendship with Lefty. 7. It emphasizes themes of betrayal and regret.
Performance History
8. Van Zandt typically played the song solo, with just his voice and an acoustic guitar. 9. Willie Nelson performed the song with a full band, providing a fuller sound compared to the original recording.
Impact and Legacy
10. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #314 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. 11. It is widely covered by other artists, including Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, and Bob Dylan. 12. Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard's version received Single of the Year award at the 1984 Country Music Association Awards.
Song in Popular Culture
13. The song made an appearance in the film "Blood Simple", which is a 1984 American independent neo-noir crime film. 14. The popular TV series "Breaking Bad" features Lefty's song playing on Jesse Pinkman's car stereo.

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