True indeed this song was not ever with any direct intention to be about the legendary Pancho Villa. However, the similarities are astounding. Look for yourself what history has to say. That aside, time for my worthless 2 cents :D.
Livin' on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath as hard as kerosene
Pancho and lefty spent a lot of time together, but then there is a split. One continues to ride, the other prisoned, perhaps in his own mind.
You weren't your momma's only boy, but her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams
Pancho appears to be the favorite one, leaving lefty jealous. Pancho left, prolly at an early age, because Pancho dies at a somewhat early age, as lefty grows old after Pancho is laid low.
Pancho was a bandit boy, his horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Introducing Pancho as the "Bandito", living life as he saw fit. Free in his mind, on not afraid to let others around him to see it. Since he was a bandit and also his mothers favorite, gives him a Robin Hood feel, as stated before ( and a striking resemblance to Pancho Villa).
Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin words, ah but that's the way it goes
At the time of his defeat, and demise, Pancho was alone, without Lefty around. (Another striking resemblance to Pancho, since we were already SUPPOSED to know how he met his end hmmm.... )
All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose
The cocky Federalies tell all the they "could have had him any day" (implied by writer to be BS :) )
Also telling us that someone sold him out prior to his final battle.
Lefty he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth
Lefty's conscious is now starting to haunt him. He can't sing with the purpose that he once had. And the guilt is so bad Lefty can taste it :(
The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows
Lefty gets paid off by Federalies, and thus leaves town after Pancho's demise.
The boys tell how old Pancho fell, and Lefty's livin in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold
And so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old
Basically a reiteration of whats said before. Pancho was a bandit, met his fate and needs our prayers. lefty sold out Pancho and now lives with his guilt and thus needs our prayers too. This also, to me anyway, leaves the impression that Lefty was weak, perhaps propositioned by the Federalies to talk in exchange for money and nothing else. But this also leaves open the possibility that Lefty was tortured or threatened too. Needless to say Lefty feels guilty as he grows old while Pancho does not.
A few gray Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away out of kindness I suppose
Even after many years have passed. The Ones involved maintain that they "could have had him" any day. This of course is BS as it required the "brother" to make the capture. Now they all get to live with their guilt and lies as well :D.
True indeed this song was not ever with any direct intention to be about the legendary Pancho Villa. However, the similarities are astounding. Look for yourself what history has to say. That aside, time for my worthless 2 cents :D.
Livin' on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean Now you wear your skin like iron Your breath as hard as kerosene
Pancho and lefty spent a lot of time together, but then there is a split. One continues to ride, the other prisoned, perhaps in his own mind.
You weren't your momma's only boy, but her favorite one it seems She began to cry when you said goodbye And sank into your dreams
Pancho appears to be the favorite one, leaving lefty jealous. Pancho left, prolly at an early age, because Pancho dies at a somewhat early age, as lefty grows old after Pancho is laid low.
Pancho was a bandit boy, his horse was fast as polished steel He wore his gun outside his pants For all the honest world to feel
Introducing Pancho as the "Bandito", living life as he saw fit. Free in his mind, on not afraid to let others around him to see it. Since he was a bandit and also his mothers favorite, gives him a Robin Hood feel, as stated before ( and a striking resemblance to Pancho Villa).
Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico Nobody heard his dyin words, ah but that's the way it goes
At the time of his defeat, and demise, Pancho was alone, without Lefty around. (Another striking resemblance to Pancho, since we were already SUPPOSED to know how he met his end hmmm.... )
All the Federales say, they could've had him any day They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose
The cocky Federalies tell all the they "could have had him any day" (implied by writer to be BS :) ) Also telling us that someone sold him out prior to his final battle.
Lefty he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth
Lefty's conscious is now starting to haunt him. He can't sing with the purpose that he once had. And the guilt is so bad Lefty can taste it :(
The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows
Lefty gets paid off by Federalies, and thus leaves town after Pancho's demise.
The boys tell how old Pancho fell, and Lefty's livin in cheap hotels The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold And so the story ends we're told Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old
Basically a reiteration of whats said before. Pancho was a bandit, met his fate and needs our prayers. lefty sold out Pancho and now lives with his guilt and thus needs our prayers too. This also, to me anyway, leaves the impression that Lefty was weak, perhaps propositioned by the Federalies to talk in exchange for money and nothing else. But this also leaves open the possibility that Lefty was tortured or threatened too. Needless to say Lefty feels guilty as he grows old while Pancho does not.
A few gray Federales say, they could've had him any day They only let him slip away out of kindness I suppose
Even after many years have passed. The Ones involved maintain that they "could have had him" any day. This of course is BS as it required the "brother" to make the capture. Now they all get to live with their guilt and lies as well :D.