About the song
Marty Robbins’ “El Paso City” is a compelling next chapter in his famous Texas cowboy saga. Released in 1976, the song continues the theme introduced in Robbins’ 1959 hit, “El Paso,” but offers a more modern, contemplative perspective.
Unlike the dramatic ballad “El Paso,” which tells the story of a tragic love triangle and a violent escape, “El Paso City” is set on an airplane, with the narrator looking down on the city of El Paso from above. The song has a slower, more contemplative tone, allowing the listener to reflect on the changes of time and the preservation of history.
Robbins skillfully blends elements of traditional country music with Mexican influences, creating a distinctive and unforgettable sound. His warm, soulful vocals take listeners on a journey through time, where past and present blend together.
“El Paso City” is more than just a song, it is a vivid picture of the American West, a land of myths and legends. It evokes a sense of nostalgia and reflection, inviting the listener to reflect on the stories told and the memories preserved.
For those familiar with “El Paso, ” “El Paso City” offers a satisfying follow-up, a chance to delve deeper into the world created by Marty Robbins. For those new to his music, this song is a great introduction to his storytelling talents and unique musical style.
Video
Lyrics
From thirty thousand feet above the desert floor I see it there below
A city with a legend, the West Texas city of El Paso
Where long ago I heard a song about a Texas cowboy and a girl
And a little place called Rosa’s where he used to go and watch this beauty whirl
I don’t recall who sang the song but I recall a story that I heard
And as I look down on this city I remember each and every word
The singer sang about a jealous cowboy and the way he used a gun
To kill another cowboy, then he had to leave El Paso on the run
El Paso City
By the Rio Grande
The cowboy lived and rode away but love was strong he couldn’t stay
He rode back just to die in that El Paso sand
El Paso City
By the Rio Grande
I try not to let you cross my mind but still I find
There’s such a mystery in the song that I don’t understand
My mind is down there somewhere as I fly above the badlands of New Mexico
I can’t explain why I should know the very trail he rode back to El Paso
Can it be that man can disappear from life and live another time
And does the mystery deepen ’cause you think that you yourself lived in that other time
Somewhere in my deepest thoughts familiar scenes and memories unfold
These wild and unexplained emotions that I’ve had so long, but I have never told
Like everytime I fly up through the heavens and I see you there below
I get the feeling sometime in another world I lived in El Paso
El Paso City
By the Rio Grande
Could it be that I could be the cowboy in the mystery
That died there in that desert sand so long ago
El Paso City
By the Rio Grande
A voice tells me to go and seek, another voice keeps telling me
Maybe death awaits me in El Paso
El Paso City
