Replies

Ballad of the Alamo

lyrics by Paul Francis Webster
music by Dimitri Tiomkin

In the Southern part of Texas,
near the town of San Antone,
stands a fortress all in ruins
that the weeds have overgrown.

You may look in vain for crosses
and you'll never see a one.
But sometimes between the setting
and the rising of the sun,
you can hear a ghostly bugle
as the men go marching by.
You can hear 'em as they answer
to that roll call in the sky:

Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett
and a hundred eighty more. Captain Dickenson,
Jim Bowie, present and accounted for.

Back in eighteen thirty six
Houston said to Travis, "Get some volunteers and
go fortify the Alamo!"
Well, the men came from Texas
and from old Tennessee
and they joined up with Travis
just to fight for the right to be free.

Injun scouts with squirrel guns,
men with muzzle loaders, stood together
heel and toe to defend the Alamo.

"You may ne'er see your loved ones,"
Travis told 'em that day.
"Those who want to can leave now. Those who'll
fight to the death, let 'em stay."

In the sand he drew a line with his army sabre.
Out of a hundred eighty nine,
not a soldier crossed the line.

With his banners a dancing in
the dawn's golden light,
Santa Ana came prancing on a horse that was black
as the night.

Sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender.
Travis answered with a shell
and a rousing rebel yell.
Santa Ana turned scarlet. "Play the dequello,"
he roared. "I will give them no quarter.
Everyone will be put to the sword."

One hundred eighty nine
holding back five thousand.
Five days, Six
days, Eight days, ten.
Travis held and held again.

Tthen he sent for replacements
for his wounded and lame.
But the troops that were coming,
never came, never came, never came.

Twice he charged and blew "recall".
On the fatal third time, Santa Ana
breached the wall
and he killed them one and all.

Now the bugles are silent
and there's rust on each sword,
and this small band of soldiers lie asleep
in the arms of the Lord.

In the Southern part of Texas
near the town of San Antone,
like a statue on his pinto
rides a cowboy all alone.

And he sees the cattle grazing where
a century before
Santa Ana's guns were blazing
and the canons used to roar.
Then his eyes turn sorta misty
and his heart begins to glow
and he takes his hat off slowly
to the men of Alamo.