As performed by Michael Martin Murphey (earlier by Tex Ritter)
Come all you Texas Rangers, wherever you may be
I'll tell you of some troubles that happened unto me
My name is nothing extra, so that I will not tell
And here's to all good rangers, I'm sure I wish you well
It was at the age of sixteen I joined this jolly band
We marched from San Antonio unto the Rio Grande
Our captain he informed us, I guess he thought it right
"Before we reach the station, we'd surely have to fight"
And before we reached the station, our captain gave command
"To arms, to arms," he shouted, "and by your ponies stand"
I saw the smoke ascending, it seemed to reach the sky
And then the thought it struck me - "my time had come to die"
I heard the Indians coming, I heard them give a yell
My feelings at the moment, no human tongue can tell
I saw their glittering lances, their arrows 'round me flew
And all my strength it left me, and all my courage too
And all of us were wounded, our noble captain slain
The sun was shining sadly across the bloody plain
Sixteen as brave a rangers as ever rode the West
Were buried by their comrades with arrows in their chests
And now my song is ended, I guess I've sung enough
The life of any ranger, you see is very tough
And if you have a mother, who don't want you to roam
I advise you by experience, you'd better stay at home
- - - - -
We fought for five full hours before the strife was o'er
The likes of dead and wounded, I've never seen before
And when the sun had risen, the Indians they had fled
We loaded up our rifles and counted up our dead
Perhaps you have a mother, likewise a sister too
Perhaps you have a sweetheart, to weep and mourn for you
If this be your position, although you'd like to roam
I'll tell you from experience, you'd better stay at home