Marty Robbins - Mister Shorty Lyrics
Nobody knew where he came fromThey only knew he came inSlowly he walked to the end of the barAnd he ordered up one slug of ginI could see that he wasn't a large manI could tell that he wasn't too tallI judged him to be 'bout 5 foot 3And his voice was a soft Texas drawlSaid he was needin' some wages'Fore he could ride for the westSaid he could do most all kind of workSaid he could ride with the bestThere in his blue eyes was sadnessThat comes from the need of a friendAnd though he tried he still couldn't hideThe loneliness there deep withinSaid he would work through the winterFor 30 a month and his boardI started to say where he might land a jobWhen a fella came in through the doorAnd I could tell he was lookin' for troubleBy the way that he came stompin' inHe told me to leave Shorty there by himselfAnd come down and wait on a manThe eyes of the little man narrowedThe smile disappeared from his faceGone was the friendliness that I had seenAnd a wild look of hate took its placeBut the big one continued to mock himAnd he told me that I'd better goFind him a couple of glasses of milkAnd then maybe Shorty would growWhen the little man spoke there was stillnessHe made sure that everyone heardSlowly he stepped away from the barAnd I still remember these words"Oh it's plain that you're lookin' for trouble.Trouble's what I try to shun.If that's what you want, then that's what you'll get,'Cause Cowboy we're both packin' guns."His hand was already positionedHis feet wide apart on the floorI hadn't noticed but there on his hipWas a short-barreled Bass .44It was plain he was ready and waitin'He leaned a bit forward and said"When you call me Shorty, say Mister, my friend.Maybe you'd rather be dead."In the room was a terrible silenceAs the big one stepped out on the floorAll drinkin' stopped and the tick of the clockSaid death would wait ten seconds moreHe cursed once or twice in a whisperAnd he said with a snarl on his lips"Nobody's mister to me little man."And he grabbed for the gun on his hipBut the little man was like lighteningThe Bass .44 was the same.44 spoke and it sent lead and smoke17 inches of flameOh the big one had never cleared leatherBeaten before he could startA little round hole appeared on his shirtThe bullet went clear through his heartThe little man stood there a momentThen holstered the Bass .44"It's always this way, so I never stay."Slowly he walked out the doorNobody knew where he came fromThey won't forget he came byThey won't forget how a .44 gunOne night made the difference in sizeAs for me I'll remember the sadnessShown in the eyes of the man"If we meet someday, you can bet I will say,'It's me, Mister Shorty, your friend."
