I rode into Tucson three hours ago for supplies
and a short friendly game Of poker while Smitty
put some new shoes on old Dan before he goes lame
I sat in a game at the Miner's Saloon soon I had
doubled my stake The cards run like they'd been
dealt by Lady Luck they were just sealin' my fate
A young cowboy lost more than he could afford and
accused me of dealin' too smart His draw was too
slow and he fell to the floor with three bullets
close to the heart Oh cottonwood tree are you
waiting for me waiting to take me away I've done
no wrong but the town cannot see and so with my
life I must pay

A crowd started gatherin' the sheriff came in I
handed him over my gun Was then when I found out
the boy I had killed Was the town's biggest man's
only son I tried to explain I had shot in defense
it was the young cowboy or me The crowd wouldn't
listen so they drug me out to the limb of this
cottonwood tree Majestically standing out here all
Find more similar lyrics on http://mp3lyrics.com/7YNialone it's spring and the valley is green But I
can't admire a place I don't belong to me it's all
like a bad dream But old Dan's beneath me with new
shows and all As they place the noose round my
neck Cowboys I've never laid eyes on before are
tyin' my hands to my back Oh cottonwood tree...

I see hate in the eyes of the town's biggest man
as he pulls a branch from the tree To whip the
backside of my old pony Dan so he'll run out from
under me Insane he won't listen to my last appeal
a wild grin has covered his face As I tried to
reason just how he would feel if he were up here
in my place There's many a mountain trail I'll
never ride green valleys I'll never see A young
cowboy died and a man's foolish pride brought me
to this cottonwood tree My face is turned upward
and I cannot breathe the sky's growing dark
overhead The knot's pulling tight as my body
swepts free a few moments more I'll be dead Oh
cottonwood tree...