Big Iron

Album: Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959)
Charted: 48 26
Play Video
  • To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day
    Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say
    No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip
    The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip
    Big iron on his hip

    It was early in the morning when he rode into the town
    He came riding from the south side, slowly lookin' all around
    "He's an outlaw loose and runnin'", came a whisper from each lip
    "And he's here to do some business with a big iron on his hip"
    Big iron on his hip

    In this town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red
    Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead
    He was vicious and a killer, though a youth of twenty four
    And the notches on his pistol numbered one and nineteen more
    One and nineteen more

    Now the stranger started talkin' made it plain to folks around
    Was an Arizona ranger, wouldn't be too long in town
    He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead
    And he said it didn't matter he was after Texas Red
    After Texas Red

    Wasn't long before this story was relayed to Texas Red
    But the outlaw didn't worry, men that tried before were dead
    Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip
    Twenty-one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip
    Big iron on his hip

    Now the morning passed so quickly it was time for them to meet
    It was twenty past eleven when they walked out in the street
    Folks were watchin' from the windows
    Every body held their breath
    They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death
    About to meet his death

    There was forty feet between them
    When they stopped to make their play
    And the swiftness of the Ranger is still talked about today
    Texas Red had not cleared leather for a bullet fairly ripped
    And the ranger's aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip
    Big iron on his hip

    It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered 'round
    There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
    Oh, he might have went on livin' but he made one fatal slip
    When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
    Big iron on his hip

    Big iron, big iron
    When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip
    Big iron on his hip Writer/s: Marty Robbins
    Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

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

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Gary Lewis

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)

Dick Wagner (Alice Cooper/Lou Reed)Songwriter Interviews

The co-writer/guitarist on many Alice Cooper hits, Dick was also Lou Reed's axeman on the Rock n' Roll Animal album.

Little Richard

Little RichardFact or Fiction

Was Long Tall Sally a cross-dresser? Did he really set his piano on fire? See if you know the real stories about one of rock's greatest innovators.