Marty Robbins – Ballad Of The Alamo (Guitar)

Dm
In the southern part of Texas

       C
In the town of San Antone

          Dm                           A                Dm
There's a fortress all in ruins that the weeds have overgrown

        Dm                                   C
You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a-one

        Dm                                C              F
But sometimes between the setting and the rising of the sun

        C               F
You can hear a ghostly bugle

       C               F
As the men go marching by

        C                 Dm
You can hear them as they answer

        Dm                Dm
To that roll call in the sky

A7               Dm            Gm             A7
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett, and a hundred eighty more

E7                 A
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie

E7          A7
Present and accounted for

Dm                            Dm
Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis

               F
“Get some volunteers and go

Dm
Fortify the Alamo”

         C             Dm
Well the men came from Texas

         F         C
And from old Tennessee

         Dm             C
And they joined up with Travis

        Dm             Gm           A7
Just to fight for the right to be free.

Dm
Indian scouts with squirrel guns

Dm               Dm
Men with muzzle-loaders

                F
Stood together, heel and toe

Dm
To defend the Alamo.

         F              Dm
“You may ne'er see your loved ones,”

       F              C
Travis told them that day

           Dm          C
“Those who want to can leave now

          Dm            Gm            A7
Those who fight to the death let 'em stay.”

Dm
In the sand he drew a line

Dm
With his army sabre

Dm                 F
Out of a hundred eighty five

Dm
Not a soldier crossed the line

         F         Dm
With his banners a-dancin'

        F             C
In the dawns' golden light

      Dm        C
Santa Anna came prancing

     Dm              Gm           A7
On a horse that was black as the night.

Dm
Sent an officer to tell

Dm
Travis to surrender

Dm               F
Travis answered with a shell

Dm
And a rousing rebel yell

      F           Dm
Santa Anna turned scarlet

      F              C
“Play Duguello!” he roared

        Dm           C
“I will show them no quarter

      Dm          Gm          A7
Every one will be put to the sword!”

Dm
One hundred and eighty five

Dm
Holding back five thousand

Dm                     F
Five days, six days, eight days, ten

Dm
Travis held and held again

        F          Dm
Then he sent for replacements

        F           C
For his wounded and lame

        Dm               C
But the troops that were coming

      Dm           Gm          A7
Never came, never came, never came...

Dm
Twice he charged and blew recall

Dm
On the fatal third time

Dm          F
Santa Anna breached the wall

Dm
And he killed them, one and all

        F           Dm
Now the bugles are silent

             F            C
And there's rust on each sword

         Dm            C
And the small band of soldiers...

Dm
In the southern part of Texas

         C
Near the town of San Antone

       Dm                        A            Dm
Like a statue on his pinto rides a cowboy all alone

Dm                                      C
And he sees the cattle grazing where a century before

      Dm               F               C                F
Santa Anna's guns were blazing and the cannons used to roar

        C               Dm
And his eyes turn sorta misty

        C               Dm
And his heart begins to glow

       C                 Dm
And he takes his hat off slowly...

       C                Dm
To the thirteen days of glory

       Dm                Dm
At the siege of Alamo...