Poncho & Lefty
Townes Van Zandt

I think this is pretty close to Townes' 
version as opposed to Willie Nelson's 
arrangement which is quite nice and different 
than this.  I like to capo on 1 but 
it's not necessary.  I suck at guitar 
playing so feel free to add or correct 
anything here.



C                              G7
Livin' on the road my friend is gonna keep you free and clean
F                                      C                
Now you wear your skin like iron, your breath's hard as 
G7
kerosene
F                                 C                  F
You weren't your momma's only boy, but her favorite one it seems
C                      Dm                F             
Began to cry when you said, "good-bye", sank into your 
Am
dreams.



Poncho was a bandit boys, his horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants for all the honest world to feel
Poncho met his match, ya know, on the desert down in Mexico
No one heard his dyin' words, but that's the way it goes. 


F                      C                     F      
All the Federales say, they could'a had him any day
C                 Dm                 F             Am      
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose.


Lefty he can't sing the blues, anymore like he used to 
The dust that Poncho bit down south, ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Poncho low, Lefty split for O-hio
Where he got the bread to go, ain't nobody knows.


Chorus:  (slip away)


The poets tell how Poncho fell, Lefty's livin' in a cheap hotel
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold and so the story ends, we're told
Poncho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do but now he's growin' old.


Chorus:  (slip away)
Chorus:  (go so wrong)