Cottonwood Tree Letra

I rode into Tucson three hours ago For supplies and a short, friendly game A poker-wild 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 that 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 Majestic'ly standing out here all alone 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 shoes and all As they place the noose 'round my neck Cowboys I never laid eyes on before A-tyin' my hands to my back 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 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 valley's 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 breath The sky's growing dark overhead The knot's pulling tight as my body swings free A few moments more, I'll be dead Oh, cottonwood tree were you put here for me Put here to take me away I've done no wrong, but the town cannot see And, so, with my life I must pay