I still can picture him

His hands in his back pockets

He wasn't much for words

But when the wise kids made a racket

He just had to go downtown

Throw his weight around for starting over

"Say did you hear I've got a band?"

Some guys I know from LA

Put on Rio Grande

I'll pay you back next Friday

You know it sure ain't big

Just some cats I dig

They said; "They'd do the gig"

Oh Desperado

Why don't you spend your life in Colorado?

Oh restless shadow

Out in the blue hills

You're feeling hollow

Oh El Diablo

Why did you spend your life in California?

I should have warned ya’

No place to go now but falling over

Some guys can't make it on the run

Under the gun

Not for the younger

Oh Jack Daniel’s I feel your hunger

I know you did your best

But you thought that you did not

I wish that I had known

Before I heard the last shot

You know it's not a sin

That little badge of tin

Just a momento

So sad your love remained

My comrades lost in battle

The music was a din from London to Seattle

We all made you play and all our yesterdays

Are starting over

Oh Desperado

Why don't you spend your life in Colorado?

Oh restless shadow

Out in the blue hills

You're feeling hollow

Oh, El Diablo

Why did you spend your life in California?

I should have warned ya’

No place to go now but falling over