D (xx0232@1)                   EmOut (022000@1)in the West Texas town of El Paso
A7 (x02020@1)                          DI (xx0232@1)fell in love with a Mexican girl.
                           EmNighttime (022000@1)would find me in Rose's Cantina,
A7 (x02020@1)                              DMusic (xx0232@1)would play and Felina would whirl.

D (xx0232@1)                         EmBlacker (022000@1)than night were the eyes of Felina,
A7 (x02020@1)                            DWicked (xx0232@1)and evil while casting a spell.
                          EmMy (022000@1)love was deep for this Mexican maiden,
A7 (x02020@1)                               DI (xx0232@1)was in love, but in vain I could tell.

G (320003@1)                    D (xx0232@1)         GOne (320003@1)night a wild young cowboy came in,
            D (xx0232@1)        D7Wild (xx0212@1)as the West Texas wind.
D7Dashing (xx0212@1)and daring, a drink he was sharing,
D7 (xx0212@1)                                GWith (320003@1)wicked Felina, the girl that I love.
      A7So (x02020@1)in anger

D (xx0232@1)                            EmI (022000@1)challenged his right for the love of this maiden;
A7 (x02020@1)                                   DDown (xx0232@1)went his hand for the gun that he wore.
                              EmMy (022000@1)challenge was answered, in less than a heartbeat
A7 (x02020@1)                                        DThe (xx0232@1)handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor.

D (xx0232@1)                 EmJust (022000@1)for a moment I stood there in silence,
A7 (x02020@1)                                DShocked (xx0232@1)by the foul evil deed I had done.
                             EmMany (022000@1)thoughts ran through my mind as I stood there;
A7 (x02020@1)                                 DI (xx0232@1)had but one chance and that was to run.

G (320003@1)                          D (xx0232@1)       GOut (320003@1)through the back door of Rose's I ran,
              D (xx0232@1)         D7Out (xx0212@1)where the horses were tied.
D7I (xx0212@1)caught a good one; it looked like it could run,
D7 (xx0212@1)                          GUp (320003@1)on its back and away I did ride.
        A7Just (x02020@1)as fast as

D (xx0232@1)                         EmI (022000@1)could from the West Texas town of El Paso,
A7 (x02020@1)                           DOut (xx0232@1)to the badlands of New Mexico.
                   EmBack (022000@1)in El Paso my life would be worthless;
A7 (x02020@1)                                 DEverything's (xx0232@1)gone in life nothing is left.

D (xx0232@1)                          EmIt's (022000@1)been so long since I've seen the young maiden,
A7 (x02020@1)                                DMy (xx0232@1)love is stronger that my fear of death.

G (320003@1)                D (xx0232@1)      GI (320003@1)saddled up and away I did go,
         D (xx0232@1)        D7Riding (xx0212@1)alone in the dark.
D7Maybe (xx0212@1)tomorrow a bullet may find me,
D7 (xx0212@1)                                         GTonight (320003@1)nothing's worse than this pain in my heart.
        A7And (x02020@1)as last here

D (xx0232@1)                EmI (022000@1)am on the hill overlooking El Paso,
A7 (x02020@1)                       DI (xx0232@1)can see Rose's Cantina below.
                         EmMy (022000@1)love is strong and it pushes me onward,
A7 (x02020@1)                          DDown (xx0232@1)off the hill to Felina I go.

D (xx0232@1)                   EmOff (022000@1)to my right I see five mounted cowboys,
A7 (x02020@1)                  DOff (xx0232@1)to my left ride a dozen and more.
                         EmShouting (022000@1)and shooting; I can't let them catch me,
A7 (x02020@1)                              DI (xx0232@1)have to make it to Rose's back door.

G (320003@1)                     D (xx0232@1)         GSomething (320003@1)is dreadfully wrong for I feel
  D (xx0232@1)          D7A (xx0212@1)deep burning pain in my side.
D7Though (xx0212@1)I am trying to stay in the saddle.
D7 (xx0212@1)                         GI'm (320003@1)getting weary, unable to ride.
       A7But (x02020@1)my love for

D (xx0232@1)                    EmFelina (022000@1)is strong and I rise where I've fallen;
A7 (x02020@1)                               DThough (xx0232@1)I am weary, I can't stop to rest.
                        EmI (022000@1)see the white puff of smoke from the rifle,
A7 (x02020@1)                            DI (xx0232@1)feel the bullet go deep in my chest.

D (xx0232@1)                     EmFrom (022000@1)out of nowhere, Felina has found me,
A7 (x02020@1)                                 DKissing (xx0232@1)my cheek as she kneels by my side.
                      EmCradled (022000@1)by two loving arms that I'll die for,
A7 (x02020@1)                           DOne (xx0232@1)little kiss and Felina goodbye.

Mtburr (mtburr@gmail.com) adapted this tab from the excellent version by 
Greg Vaughn (gvaughn@olga.net). This adaptation corrects a few of the lyrics, 
but more importantly it strips out the tab intro and inserts the chords for
all lines, so (hopefully) UG's active chords will work for transposition.
(Marty Robbins's voice is pretty high and tough for basses and baritones to
follow.) Here's Greg's note from the original below; it's a good suggestion.

I'd suggest playing A7 as (x02223). Alternate bass notes on beats one
and four throughout the verses. You might want to try Dadd9 (xx0230)
in place of the D in the first line of the chorus.