Introduction
Big Iron is a classic country song by Marty Robbins. It was released in 1959 and has since become one of the most popular songs in the genre. The song tells the story of a cowboy who is on a mission to bring a notorious outlaw to justice. It is known for its catchy melody and its memorable lyrics. In this article, we will take a closer look at the lyrics to Big Iron and what they mean.
Verse 1
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
For the stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
The first verse of Big Iron sets the scene for the rest of the song. A stranger rides into the town of Agua Fria, and he is immediately noticed by the locals because of the gun he has on his hip. The lyrics suggest that this stranger is not to be messed with, and the people in the town are wary of him.
Chorus
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.”
The chorus of Big Iron repeats the description of the stranger and his gun. The lyrics suggest that the people in the town are afraid of him, and they believe that he is an outlaw who is up to no good.
Verse 2
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.
The second verse of Big Iron introduces the main antagonist of the song, Texas Red. He is described as a vicious killer who has already killed a lot of men. The lyrics suggest that Texas Red is not someone to be messed with, and even the bravest of men have failed to take him down.
Chorus
The chorus repeats again, emphasizing the fact that the stranger is carrying a big iron on his hip, and the people in the town are afraid of him.
Verse 3
Now the stranger started talking, made it plain to folks around
“Wasn’t long in town ’til he heard 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 ninety more,
Ninety and nine more.”
In the third verse, the stranger starts to talk to the people in the town. He tells them that he has heard of Texas Red and that he is there to take him down. The lyrics suggest that the stranger is not afraid of Texas Red, despite his reputation as a killer. The notches on Texas Red’s pistol are also mentioned again, emphasizing just how dangerous he is.
Chorus
The chorus repeats for the third time, emphasizing the fact that the stranger is carrying a big iron on his hip, and the people in the town are afraid of him.
Verse 4
The stranger challenged Texas Red to a deadly game of chance
And the gunfighter said, “I’ll take your bet, you’re gonna regret it
‘Cause I’m the best there’s ever been.”
And Texas Red had not cleared leather ‘fore a bullet fairly ripped
And the ranger’s aim was deadly with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip.
The fourth verse of Big Iron describes the showdown between the stranger and Texas Red. The stranger challenges Texas Red to a duel, and Texas Red accepts. However, the stranger is quicker on the draw and shoots Texas Red before he can even clear his gun. The lyrics suggest that the stranger was confident in his abilities and that he knew he was the better gunfighter.
Chorus
The chorus repeats for the final time, emphasizing the fact that the stranger was carrying a big iron on his hip, and he was able to take down Texas Red because of it.
Conclusion
Big Iron is a classic country song that tells the story of a cowboy who takes down a notorious outlaw. The song is known for its catchy melody and its memorable lyrics. The lyrics describe a dangerous and violent world where only the strongest and quickest survive. Marty Robbins’ Big Iron has stood the test of time and remains one of the most popular country songs ever recorded.
