My name is William Bonny and I have some things to tell
All about my life 'n death and the way things are in Hell
And lies they told about me after Garrett shot me down
In Mexico, in 1881
Twenty one were the lives that Garrett said I took
That was just another lie he wrote down in his book
For he had to make it seem as though I were the Devils seed
But the lives I took, they were three
And the skies of Lincoln County were as blue as blue could be
And the sun that shines on you, well it used to shine on me
And I knew the smell of woodsmoke and I liked the taste of beer
The only difference now, is I'm not here
I'm in New Mexico and it's 1881
A man who'd lie to save his skin won't look you in the eye
Garrett never saw my face when he let those bullets fly
And I died there in Pete Maxwell's room, no boots upon my feet
In the dark, and all alone
They had themselves an inquest, and then they buried me
They made me into something that I never meant to be
And the vultures came and chipped away the headstone on my grave
And then took it home, for souvenirs
And the skies of Lincoln County were as blue as blue could be
And the sun that shines on you, well it used to shine on me
And I knew the smell of woodsmoke and I liked the taste of beer
The only difference now, is I'm not here
I'm in New Mexico and it's 1881
History books are written by the ones who survive
Garrett was the one who came out of that room alive
And he harnessed up my ghost, made it sing and dance
And I am dancing still
I'm dancing still
The corridors of my Hell, they never ever change
I am doomed forever to this little piece of range
Trapped here by a legend that's no making of my own
I look around, and I see.
It's still New Mexico and it's 1881
And the skies of Lincoln County were as blue as blue could be
And the sun that shines on you, well it used to shine on me
And I knew the smell of woodsmoke and I liked the taste of beer
The only difference now, is I'm not here
I'm in New Mexico and it's 1881
It's still New Mexico and it's 1881