To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day

Hardly spoke to folks around him, didn't have too much to say,

No one dared to ask his business, no one dared to make a slip

For the stranger there among them had a big iron on his hip,

big iron on his hip



It was early in the morning when he rode into town

He came riding from the south side, slowly lookin' all around

"He's an outlaw loose and runnin'", came a whisper from each lip

"And he's here to do some business with the big iron on his hip,

big iron on his hip"



In the town there lived an outlaw by the name of Texas Red

Many men had tried to take him and that many men were dead

He was vicious and a killer, though a youth of twenty four

And the notches on his pistol numbered one and nineteen more,

one and nineteen more



Now the stranger started talkin' made it plain to folks around

Was an Arizonia ranger, wouldn't be too long in town

He came there to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead

And he said it didn't matter that he was after Texas Red,

after Texas Red



Wasn't long before this story was relayed to Texas Red

But the outlaw didn't worry, men that tried before were dead

Twenty men had tried to take him, twenty men had made a slip,

Twenty one would be the ranger with the big iron on his hip,

big iron on his hip



The morning past so quickly and it was time for them to meet

It was twenty past eleven when they walked out on the street

Folks were watchin' from their windows,

every body held their breath,

For they knew that handsome ranger was about to meet his death,

about to meet his death



There was forty feet between them

when they stopped to make their play

And the swiftness of the Ranger still talked about today

Texas Red had not cleared leather when a bullet fairly ripped

And the ranger's aim was deadly, with the big iron on his hip,

big iron on his hip



It was over in a moment and the folks had gathered 'round

There before them lay the body of the outlaw on the ground

Oh, he might have gone on livin' but he made one final slip

When he tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,

big iron on his hip



Big iron, big iron,

He tried to match the ranger with the big iron on his hip,

Big iron on his hip