A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
<< Back to Marty Robbins Song List
Version 2============================ Marty Robbins - Mr. Shorty ============================ No capo [Intro] D Bm A D Bm A D Bm Nobody knew where he came from D Bm They only knew he came in D Bm Slowly he walked to the end of the bar Em F# And he ordered up one slug of gin Bm Em Well, I could see that he wasn't a large man A D I could tell that he wasn't too tall F# Bm I judged him to be 'bout five-foot three E A And his voice was a soft Texas drawl D Bm Said he was needin' some wages D Bm 'Fore he could ride for the west D Bm Said he could do most all kind of work Em F# Said he could ride with the best Bm Em There in his blue eyes was sadness A D That comes from the need of a friend F# Bm And tho' he tried, he still couldn't hide E A The loneliness there, deep within D Bm Said he would work thru the winter D Bm For thirty a month and his board D Bm I started to say where he might land a job Em F# When a fellow came in thru the door Bm Em And I could tell he was lookin' for trouble A D From the way that he came stompin' in F# Bm He told me to leave Shorty there by himself E A Come down and wait on a man D Bm The eyes of the little man narrowed D Bm The smile disappeared from his face D Bm Gone was the friendliness that I had seen Em F# And a wild look of hate took its' place Bm Em But the big one continued to mock him A D And he told me that I'd better go F# Bm Find him a couple of glasses of milk E A And then maybe Shorty would grow D Bm When the little man spoke, there was stillness D Bm He made sure that everyone heard D Bm Slowly he stepped away from the bar Em F# And I still remember these words Bm Em "Oh! it's plain that you're lookin' for trouble A D Trouble's what I try to shun F# Bm If that's what you want, then that's what you'll get E A Cause cowboy, we're both packin' guns" D Bm His hand was already positioned D Bm His feet wide apart on the floor D Bm I hadn't noticed but there on his hip Em F# Was a short-barreled bat .44 Bm Em It was plain he was ready and waitin' A D He leaned a bit forward and said F# Bm "When you call me Shorty, say Mister, my friend E A Maybe you'd rather be dead" D Bm In the room was a terrible silence D Bm As the big one stepped out on the floor D Bm All drinkin' stopped and the tick of the clock Em F# Said death would wait ten seconds more Bm Em He cursed once or twice in a whisper A D And he said with a snarl on his lips F# Bm "Nobody's Mister to me, little man!" E A And he grabbed for the gun on his hip D Bm But the little man's hand was like lightning D Bm The bat .44 was the same D Bm The .44 spoke and it sent lead and smoke Em F# And seventeen inches of flame Bm Em For the big one had never cleared leather A D Beaten before he could start F# Bm A little round hole had appeared on his shirt E A The bullet went clear thru his heart D Bm The little man stood there a moment D Bm Then holstered the bat .44 D Bm "It's always this way so I never stay" Em F# Slowly he walked out the door Bm Em Nobody knew where he came from A D They won't forget he came by F# Bm They won't forget how a .44 gun E A One night made the difference in size D Bm As for me, I'll remember the sadness D Bm Shown in the eyes of the man D Bm If we meet someday, you can bet I would say E N.C. A G A That it's me, Mr. Shorty, your friend