Cash, Johnny - The Ballad Of Boot Hill Lyrics






Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a 44
No Les no more

Out in Arizona just south of Tucson
Where tumbleweeds tumble in search of a home
There's a town they call Tombstone where the brave never cry
They live by a sixgun by a sixgun they die

It's been a long time now since the town was a boom
The jailhouse is empty so's the Palace Saloon
Just one look will tell you that this town was real
A secluded old dirt road leads up to Boot Hill

Walk up to the fence there and look at the view
That's where they were hanging eighteen eighty two
It's easy to see where the brave men have died
Rope marks on the oak tree are now petrified

At night when the moon shines so far away
It gets mighty lonesome lookin' down on their graves
There lies Billy Clanton never wanted to kill
But he's there with the guilty way up on Boot Hill (Boot Hill)





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

Cash, Johnny The Ballad Of Boot Hill Comments
  1. M.... L....

    Seven years since I heard this song, seven years is a long time for a young man. I teared up as my memories flooded my brain. Thanks for the uploader!

  2. A.... M....

    I love the woman's howling vocals in the background.

  3. e.... ....

    Doc Ha Holiday

  4. C.... ....

    I for one question whether Billy was innocent. Yes he was young, in fact being the youngest of the Clanton brothers. However he was very much mixed up in his family's affairs, illegal as they often were.

  5. d.... ....

    Ages ago, when I was a kid, my best friend's mom drove him and I to Tombstone for a visit. We all had a laugh when we saw the tombstone that read, Here lies Lester Moore, four slugs from a .44, no les, no more. My friend's name was Lester Moore.

  6. R.... S....

    Rare Johnny Cash? Has anyone heard, or know where I can find, "The Ballad of Promentory". I heard him sing it in person. I know it exists. But, That was the one, and only time I heard it.

  7. A.... c....

    Cash lend

  8. U.... M....

    Johnny cash the man, the myth, the all time legend. I miss him and his hole spirt he passed on.

  9. P.... B....

    CANTORE DELLE ANTICHE GESTA DI UOMINI DURI E PURI GRANDE GRANDE GRANDE IMMENSO R.I.P JOHNNY CASH

  10. T.... ....

    I heard this story of 2 men fighting in a bar and one of them got so angry he went outside the bar and his behind a bunch of fruit baskets waiting to shoot the other man with a rifle and the guy seen him behind the fruit baskets and shot him

  11. N.... F....

    Johnny Cash could sing "Ol' McDonald's Had a Farm" and NAIL IT TO A "T"....RIP, MAN IN BLACK!!!! THE WORLD MISSES YOU!!!😖✌

  12. M.... P....

    Jesus, I miss southern Arizona.

  13. C.... T....

    I visited Boot Hill several time before they upgraded it for cameras. Is just a TV show today.

  14. T.... ....

    Awesome i love this

  15. T.... ....

    Absolutely awesome.

  16. J.... L....

    Here lies less more
    Four slugs from a forty-four
    No less no more

    Out in Arizona just south of Tucson
    Where tumbleweeds tumble in search of a home
    There's a town they call Tombstone where the brave never cry
    They live by a sixgun by a sixgun they die

    It's been a long time now since the town was a boom
    The jailhouse is empty so's the Palace Saloon
    Just one look will tell you that this town was real
    A secluded old dirt road leads up to Boot Hill

    Walk up to the fence there and look at the view
    That's where they were hanging eighteen eighty two
    It's easy to see where the brave men have died
    Rope marks on the oak tree are now petrified

    At night when the moon shines so far away
    It gets mighty lonesome lookin' down on their graves
    There lies Billy Clanton never wanted to kill
    But he's there with the guilty way up on Boot Hill (Boot Hill)

  17. D.... C....

    my first time hearing this and really 115 people dont no music 😕👍

  18. T.... ....

    "They lived by a six gun by a six gun they died"

  19. P.... F....

    Every time i hear this song i think of Fallout New Vegas and how this would fit perfectly in its sound track.

    P.... F....

    Pyrovon Fire FNV had a pretty good soundtrack. I wish they used more of Marty's songs along with this great song though.

  20. V.... R....

    Great Song.

  21. G.... M....

    God bless Jonny cash rest easy.

  22. V.... M....

    I like those old Gunsmoke episodes that would start with Matt Dillon giving wisdom in boot hill.

  23. n.... ....

    Fucking awesome video

  24. D.... B....

    One of the best songs of legendary Johnny Cash. RIP.

  25. P.... D....

    i love the back ground on 3:16

  26. P.... G....

    I keep discovering ore Cash songs.

  27. M.... P....

    I've been to Boot Hill. It was super cool. (In a sad and creepy way)

  28. G.... d....

    RIP Johnny........

  29. U.... S....

    ..in Memory ... The Boss off Contry

  30. T.... M....

    Most of the bodies of Boothill is still under the road of 80 here in Tombstone AZ. And that's a fact.

  31. K.... M....

    this quality is so smooth - i love you!

  32. J.... H....

    Fact is, nobody is buried on Boot Hill. Some family made it up for tourists. It was a good business.

    J.... H....

    You sure hoss??? Damn You!!! I was planning to VACA Tombstone this summer, party-POOPER!!!💩👿

  33. s.... ....

    Makes me think of Doc Holiday's last words when he ended up dying from TB. He survived many gunfights only to die from the disease that brought him out West in the first place. This might be paraphrasing but he said : "Funny me going out this way."

  34. m.... ....

    Lived in Phoenix for 20 years, been to Tombstone twice. Had drinks in the Crystal Palace.

  35. M.... V....

    Good times..

  36. B.... R....

    a real song tells a story

  37. A.... W....

    1:20 when song starts.

  38. M.... S....

    Johnny Cash- Hurt. You can feel the pain in his voice. it just hits you.

  39. T.... U....

    This one of 3 songs I listened to daily while I was in summer school for 9th grade algebra this past summer

  40. M.... P....

    pas mal la playlist!!!😜

  41. P.... T....

    ni gick bort alldeles förtid
    båda två
    juni och Jonny Cash.

  42. P.... T....

    Jag älskar
    Jonny Carter Cash juni Carter
    Cash men nu får man lyssna på
    musik a v
    mina vince

  43. R.... N....

    Wyatt Earp "Rocked this world!"

  44. D.... B....

    BRILLIANT

    D.... B....

    Dennis Bean L.

  45. b.... ....

    I have this without the intro, It's one of my favourite songs by Johnny....

  46. 3.... I....

    58 confirmed trolls

    3.... I....

    Obi-Wan Kenobi so uncivilized

  47. D.... R....

    Great history .

  48. M.... ....

    One of my favourite Cash songs. These songs had a story with a meaning, something all too rare nowadays.

  49. N.... S....

    2,244 likes!

  50. N.... S....

    I like this song, kind of peaceful.

  51. J.... I....

    This isn't one of Cash's best, but the clip gives a fascinating insight into just how Wild the Wild Wast was-- and how much it was pretty much run like Islamic State run "their" turf today.

    J.... I....

    Maybe but we don't compare ourselves to terrorists.

    J.... I....

    Tristan Hayes "But Stalin didn't murder 20 million ppl in 5 yrs, Hitler committed the worst in the shortest amount of time, thats the diff!💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

    J.... I....

    Nic Dodds Russia ended the war in Germany entering Berlin 1st causing Hitler to committ suicide & end of war!

    J.... I....

    Dmx slipping

    J.... I....

    WHat? Are you retarded or just trying to get peoples attention???

  52. e.... a....

    cash finalmente pode ser ouvido no brasil

  53. J.... B....

    Learn more history from Johnny Cash songs than i ever learned in school haha

  54. M.... ....

    Immensely talented he was......

  55. h.... ....

    I wonder how many songs did Johnny Cash sing? When you think you've heard them all, you always find one you haven't.

    h.... ....

    It's funny you should say this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Johnny_Cash

    I'm seeing if I can add all these to a playlist, it's gonna take a while. In the process of doing it now.

    h.... ....

    horseman528 niet

    h.... ....

    Somewhere around 1200 songs.

    h.... ....

    horseman528 he wrote 1,300

  56. J.... C....

    for a sheriff to take your arms as you enter town is unconstitutional.

    Wyatt Earp was a tyrant son of a bitch.

    J.... C....

    It was a city ordinance enforced by Virgil Earp. Wyatt had nothing to do with it. Read history before you make a fool of yourself.

    J.... C....

    I knew the man, he took my colt 45.

    J.... C....

    Fucking Moron Joe, it was not issued by virgil nor wyatt it was the Mayors orders....

  57. J.... C....

    Very cool to listen to after you have been there.

  58. E.... m....

    You do know that Carl Perkins wrote this song! Couldnt choose a better man to sing it tho! :)

    E.... m....

    Carl was so great!

    E.... m....

    Ed mullo thanks never knew that.👍

  59. A.... C....

    The clanton family still owns property in tombstone to this day.

  60. X.... ....

    there's also a Boot Hill Cemetery in Ogallala, Nebraska

    X.... ....

    Also one in South Dakota

    X.... ....

    I've been there! Also, in Dodge City.

  61. B.... M....

    One of the greatest storytellers of all-time.

    B.... M....

    The greatest.

  62. J.... G....

    my brother lives in Tombstone, he acts in street shoot em ups for the tourists! he's been doing it for years.

    J.... G....

    That's pretty cool

    J.... G....

    In '85 just out of college and running around me and some buddies went to tombstone and closed all the saloons down one night. It was a wild night. It wasn't much of a tourist trap then.

    J.... G....

    Coyote Trail

    J.... G....

    John Gaffney awesome

  63. M.... L....

    one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs

  64. M.... P....

    I have not yet begun to defile myself!

  65. S.... B....

    I'm a big Cash fan. I've been to Tombstone twice and it was a really interesting trip. I got a lot of the same pictures you did. I loved it there. Take care and have a great weekend. Liked and saved. ~ Bel

  66. J.... F....

    Johnny cash was not one of the best he was the best

    J.... F....

    all of Johnny Cash songs are the best of him!

    J.... F....

    AGREE!!!!!

  67. c.... p....

    I love this. Johnny always sang about history. I wish people would today.

    c.... p....

    I hope it makes a comeback here ! sounds like the UK has good taste. Music is so commercial. There is a backlash against this  so I believe a revival is around the corner.

    c.... p....

    cindy pruitt history is vanishing to people my age. That and good musicians like cash. In Australia our most famous country singer (slim dusty, born in 1927 died in 2003) no longer holds such a prominent position.

    c.... p....

    Maybe we can bring it back, Good music, I hope!

    c.... p....

    there is a band that sings about history ONLY ABOUT HISTORY. its name is sabaton. i dont listen to them anymore. but they are really good.

    c.... p....

    Great song

  68. s.... ....

    Roderick Matheson, Tomb Stone AZ is very much alive, I'm living proof, I live not to far outside of Tomb Stone..

  69. m.... ....



    Rodrick Matheson:  Begging your pardon but, Tombstone, Az. as of 2012 has a population of 1359. I've had the pleasure of visiting there twice.

  70. J.... R....

    Surullinen tarina.

  71. u.... ....

    Why is Earp not mentioned in this song? Wasn't he involved in this incident?

    u.... ....

    @undercoverbrother67 no, doc never instigated fights in fact. he was an ace card player and people would constantly accuse him of cheating, and he would defend himself 
    the west was very wild back then

    u.... ....

    I don't know anything about the incident other than from this song. JC makes it sound like Doc Holiday killed the 3 of them.

    u.... ....

    @undercoverbrother67 doc was very clever 

    u.... ....

    @undercoverbrother67 The gunfight took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Arizona Territory. It was the result of a long-simmering feud between Cowboys Billy Claiborne, Ike and Billy Clanton, and Tom and Frank McLaury, and opposing lawmen: town Marshal Virgil Earp, Assistant Town Marshal Morgan Earp, and temporary deputy marshals Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.
    Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight unharmed, but Billy
    Clanton and both McLaury brothers were killed. Virgil, Morgan, and Doc
    Holliday were wounded, but Wyatt Earp was unharmed.And it all happened in 30 seconds.

    u.... ....

    Pretty close. Good recap. It was all Ike's fault though. He drank all night, threatened the Earps and Doc Holliday and got his friends and kid brother killed.

  72. T.... P....

    Damn i love JOHNNY CASH...

    T.... P....

    ....but that be Wyatt Earp on yo' profile, hoss😵....anyway, YEAH, me too man!!!!

  73. O.... C....

    a ballad of the true wild west...

  74. f.... ....

    Its still the same today wild west maybe not in tombstone but in phoenix yeah

  75. T.... ....

    wow, talk about a song to wake up to in the morning

  76. g.... c....

    when ever johnny cash sings he always make you feel as if you are they apart of the music hes a legend through and through

  77. s.... ....

    you know the funny thing that isnt the real boot hill they had to move the grave stones due to grave robbers in the early 1900s

  78. p.... d....

    "Religion!how it dominates the man´smind, how it humiliates and degrades his soul. God is everything, man is nothing, says religion. But out of that nothing god has created a kingdom so despotic, so tyrannical, so cruel, so terribly exacting that nothing that nought but glooom and tears and blood have ruled the world since gods began"-Emma goldman

  79. k.... ....

    "YOU TELL EM'I'M COMING!!!AND I'M BRINGING HELL WITH ME!!"
    -Wyatt Earp(Kurt Russell)"Tombstone".

  80. i.... b....

    ..ascolti è sembra che Ti manchi qualcosa...

  81. H.... H....

    johnny is freaky great love his music

  82. S.... ....

    haha exactly

  83. A.... E....

    Yes people mix up legends with facts but there is no substantial proof that Billy knew Garret, it's just promoted by some films like Young Guns I & II.
    And the fact that Wyatt Earp went out in search of revenge is part of the reason why he is legendary as although having many congressmen on his side out there in the west he was alone and had a good reason to want revenge as his Brother Morgan had been killed, Virgil injured and attempts on his own life had already been made.

  84. I.... B....

    he could "sing" the phonebook

  85. k.... ....

    "I'm your huckleberry!!".

  86. O.... .....

    Cool Town to visit i was there in 05

  87. C.... P....

    It's Johnny Cash there are no bad songs by him.

  88. b.... ....

    One of Johnny's best.........

  89. A.... W....

    I think to many people mix up legends with facts. Fact lawmen were as crooked as the outlaws. Wyatt Earp stole a horse. And use his badge for revenge. Pat Garrett kill his friend Billy . There were rumours Pat tie Billy's girlfriend to a bed. And hid till Billy came in and shot him.

  90. a.... ....

    Never heard Johnny Cash's introduction for this song before, very cool, thanks for posting! Great photos, too!!

  91. a.... f....

    love it. i grew up on this song. havnt heard it since i was a kid

  92. F.... R....

    at 3:13. Its sounds so deep, makes the dead walk again and the way he says the moon shines. I can feel the loneliness, amazing voice :)

  93. L.... J....

    Great song..

  94. h.... b....

    one day i will grow toenails

  95. Z.... ....

    Johnny, why'd you die on us boy? You were supposed to be immortal.....

  96. T.... ....

    Just brilliant. What a voice...

  97. k.... ....

    Johnny Cash originally recorded "The Ballad of Boot Hill" in 1959 and released the song as part of a Columbia EP (Extended Play 45 featuring four songs). The song was included on the 1965 Columbia album Sings the Ballads of the True West. The song also appears on the 1992 Columbia compilation album The Essential Johnny Cash: 1955-1983.

  98. p.... ....

    Great voice on a great man with great tits.

  99. G.... L....

    Great song of a great time.