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I’m not a great fan of country and western music but, as I have said previously, I like that many C&W songs contain a story with a beginning, middle and end, at the same time often delivering a life lesson or advice. Think The Gambler, The Coward of the County, Goodbye Earl, Ode to Billie Joe, Devil Went Down to Georgia . . .
I also recall what Bob Newhart said: "I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'."
I was idly watching YouTube where the site throws up random videos based on previous viewing when Ronny Robbins came on singing Big Iron. That’s right, Ronny, not Marty. Ronny is a nepo baby, a second generation singer along with such other country alumni as singers Michael Twitty, Dion Pride, Ben Haggard and even young Hank Williams Jr. More of Ronny later.
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Marty Robbins:
Marty Robbins (1925 – 1982), was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and NASCAR racing driver. Robbins was one of the most popular and successful country and western singers for most of his nearly four-decade career, which spanned from the late 1940s to the early 1980s. He was also an early outlaw country pioneer, his genres covering country, western, outlaw, country rockabilly, blues and folk. In 1959, Robbins released his signature song, "El Paso", for which he won the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. The song began Robbins' association with western balladry, a style which would become a staple of his career. Later releases that drew critical acclaim include "Don't Worry", "Big Iron" and "Devil Woman". Other hits: “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation” and “Singing the Blues”.
“Big Iron”:
A great song by Marty Robbins. Someone has made a really good video to accompany the lyrics - hear Marty Robbins sing it and watch the video by clicking on:
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Some other versions:
Southern Raised Band:
Johnny Cash:
Frankie Laine:
Hayden Wilde:
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About the song:
“Big Iron” is a song written by Marty Robbins in 1959, a country ballad about an unnamed Arizona Ranger who has a fateful duel with the notorious outlaw Texas Red.
While the encounter itself is likely fiction, the “Big Iron” is a real gun, based on one that Robbins saw in a gun shop in Hollywood. It was a one-off custom piece, described as a Great Western copy of the famed Colt Single Action army pistol featuring several unique features, including the backstrap from a Colt 1860 Army and a barrel made from a sawed-down Marlin Rifle.
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Lyrics:
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
The stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip
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"
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
Now the stranger started talkin' made it plain to folks around
Was an Arizonia ranger, wouldn't be too long in town
He was here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead
And he said it didn't matter that he was after Texas Red,
After Texas Red
Wasn't long before this story was relayed to Texas Red
But the outlaw didn't worry, men who tried before were dead
Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip,
Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip
Now the morning passed so quickly and it was time for them to meet
It was twenty past eleven when they rode out in the street
Folks were watchin' from their windows,
Every body held their breath,
They knew this handsome ranger was about to meet his death,
About to meet his death
There was twenty feet between them
When they stopped to make their play
And the swiftness of the Ranger's still talked about today
Texas Red had not cleared leather when a bullet fairly ripped
And the ranger's aim was deadly, with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip
It was over in a moment and the crowd all gathered 'round
There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground
Oh, he might have went on livin' but he made one fatal slip
When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip
Big iron, big iron,
Oh he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,
Big iron on his hip
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Ronny Robbins (1949 - ):
Son of country music legend Marty Robbins, Ronny tried to follow in his father’s footsteps by fashioning a music career for himself in the ‘70s with the release of Columbia Records Presents Marty Robbins Jr. and a string of promos under his own name.
By the 1980s, he had had it, mainly because he didn’t enjoy touring, although he was honoured with The Nashville Network’s Star of Tomorrow award in 1984.
In the late ‘80s he decided to devote himself to preserving his father’s legacy by running Marty Robbins Enterprises, but still sings and performs on various shows.
Hear and watch him sing “Big Iron” by clicking on:
Some other Ronny Robbins' songs of his father:
“El Paso”:
“White Sport Coat”:
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Well, folks, it's time to call it a night. Do what you feel and keep both feet on the wheel. You don't have to go home; but, you can't stay here.
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