Big Iron

Album: Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959)
Charted: 48 26
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was one of a quartet of tunes penned by Robbins for his homage album to the Old West, Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. They were informed by tales told to the young Robbins by his Texas ranger grandfather. This evocative slice of Western myth-spinning tells the story of an Arizona Ranger's duel with an outlaw named Texas Red. This song title refers to the gun the Ranger carried and was inspired by one Robbins saw in Andy Anderson's famed North Hollywood gun shop in the late 1950s.

Comments: 6

  • Aaron from Austin TexasWant to see Big Iron turned into a short film? Check out our Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bigironmovie/big-iron-short-film
  • Benny from Mojave WastlandTruth is the game was rigged from the start
  • Dirtman216 from Arizonathis song is about Joseph pearce who was an arizona ranger. I have personally heard the tape of Marty Robbins interviewing him and his wife so he could write the song
  • Alan from Imperial Beach, Cahonestly surprised at the lack of New Vegas references on this page. I know I certainly am not old enough to have heard the song when it first came out, so Fallout New Vegas was really the first place I heard it. Really great song.
  • Jack Jeremy Running gun and big iron are the same song from different perspectives running gun says “20 notches on my six gun marked the lessons I have learned” big iron said “the notches on his pistol numbered one to nineteen more” and both songs state that his gun was still in leather as the bullet entered Texas red
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaAm curious if Mary knew how to handle a gun. Also where he got that outfit he wore on the cover of this LP.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Andy McClusky of OMD

Andy McClusky of OMDSongwriter Interviews

Known in America for the hit "If You Leave," OMD is a huge influence on modern electronic music.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Michael Sweet of Stryper

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.