( E
Well,I left Houston, Texas on a Gulf Coast hurricane. 
 
I was blowed down by a tornado, washed up by the rain. 
          A    
Well, my pappy wasn't happy with me. He told me to go. 
      E                  
So I stole my daddy's Cadilac, headed on down the road. 
        B7 )               
Well, I had a grin from ear to ear with each and every mile. 
        A                                   G               E 
I was headed for the border, man, and I was goin' down in style. 
 

      E  
Well, I hit Corpus Christi and the wind was at my back. 
 
I drove them women crazy in my daddy's Cadilac. 
           A  
Yeah, I'd cruise 'em down that boulevard, treated them like queens. 
   E 
I took 'em all the places that they wanted to be seen 
     B7 
And when I had to leave 'em , I'd tell 'em with a smile, 
      A                                  G              E 
"I'm headed for the border, man, and I'm goin' down in style." 
 

               A 
Well, you've gotta take your chances if they ever come along. 
       E       
Just close your eyes and listen to the great big engine whine. 
    A  
And it don't really matter whether you are right or wrong 
      B7            
Cause when you cross the border, man, you leave this world behind. 
 

    E    
I stomped down on the peddle, set the cruise control. 
  
Five-hundred ragin' horses beyond by the state parol. 
           A 
Lord, the sirens were ascreamin', lights were flashin' red. 
           E 
There's a dozen more awatin' at the roadblock up ahead. 
       B7 
As I scattered them like chickens, I heard one of 'em cry, 
       A                                   G              E  
"He's headed for the border, man, and he's goin' down in style." 
 
 
E          A   E  B7  A   G  E 
 
       A 
Yeah, when you cross the border, you ain't never comin' back. 
           E 
Yeah, and there ain't no redemption when the cops are on your tail. 
           A        
When the closest thing to Heaven is a great big Cadilac, 
     B7 
The city lights of Houston, or the firey gates of Hell. 
 
 
E     
Well, they nailed me on the hill that overlooks the Rio Grande. 
 
And I was feelin' just like Moses lookin' on the Promised Land. 
            A 
Well, they hauled me back to Houston, throwed me in the jail. 
          E     
Well, my mama started cryin' and my daddy paid the bail. 
           B7           
Well, I'm sorry not there to hear the outcome of my trial... 
     A                                  G              E   A E A E 
I'm headed for the border, man, and I'm goin' down in style.