| He rode into town one dust storm
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| Sheepskin cloak across his back
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| A preacher man with kind old eyes
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| And a mystery for a past
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| He said he’d come to teach about
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| The love of God
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| But he soon learned what they were missing there
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| Was justice and the law
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| There was a cattleman who claimed his clan
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| Owned all the land around
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| And any brave fool who that might dispute
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| He was quick to snuff 'em out
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| He’d say, «Take my heed
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| And you won’t pay the price
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| 'Cause honor and a name ain’t worth a damn
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| If you don’t have your life.»
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| He’d say, «Ain't nobody faster than this cattle man’s gun
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| I’m a rattlesnake on the trigger
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| Your last stand’ll be lyin' in the sand
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| Fallin' to the slam of my hammer.»
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| So one man taught forgiveness
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| While the other taught suffering
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| The preacher said deliverance
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| Could be found out on their knees
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| He said, «I know that you want justice
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| And you want blood
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| But believe me when I say to you
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| Don’t try and be that man’s judge
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| 'Cause ain’t nobody faster than that cattleman’s gun
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| He’s a rattlesnake on the trigger
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| Your last stand’ll be lyin' in the sand
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| Fallin' to the slam of his hammer."
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| One day a young farmer brought his sons to town for feed
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| And he noticed that the streets were quiet, and he knew what that might mean
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| The smoke rose in the distance
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| His farm burned to the ground
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| He let the fury overtake him
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| When Cattle Man came back to town
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| Those boys ran out from behind the crowd
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| And watched their daddy die
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| The big man laughed and said, «Now look at that
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| Anybody else wanna give it a try?»
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| Well, the church doors opened with that black cloak flowin' behind the
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| preacher’s fiery eyes
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| He said, «Your ticket to Hell is a comin' to you
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| And I got a hollow-point to give you the ride.»
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| And the only thing faster than the cattle man’s gun
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| Was the preacher’s handy finger
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| He pulled iron from his side and let that bullet fly
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| Beat the rattlesnake to the hammer
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| While the preacher embraced forgiveness
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| Oh, they finally understood
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| Under that sheepskin cloak of his
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| Was a history of blood |