Steve Earle — The Gringos Tale

Begging your pardon there, stranger You look like you're new to this town We're a long way away from the beach here You won't see many gringos around Well I come from West Colorado And I've wandered this world far and wide I've lived for some years in the shadows And my eyes are unused to this light If you buy me a strong drink of whiskey I will tell you the tale of my life It's long and it's sad, but it fits me And it may bring a tear to your eye All the men of my family were soldiers The hard-fighting, straight-talking kind When my turn came, all that was over But I'd already made up my mind I was there when we blew through Grenada And I still have to ask myself why Then we took down that fool Noriega That's where I caught the good colonel's eye Well he asked me if I loved my country And before I had time to reply He regaled me with tales of past glories And I believed every one of his lies So I left my old life behind me Turned my back on my family and friends And I did everything that they asked me And I lost some sleep now and again And I lived like a thief and assassin I smuggled the poison sometimes Until I asked the wrong question in passing And the colonel himself dropped the dime If you're ever in west Colorado Tell the folks in Durango goodbye There's a price on my head and I can't go So I'll just wait around here until I die