Lyrics:

1966 - album The Drifter
Writer(s): Marty Robbins

Out in New Mexico, many long years ago
There in a shack on the desert, one night in a storm
Amid streaks of lightnin' and loud desert thunder
To a young Mexican couple, a baby was born

Just as the baby cried, thunder and lightnin' died
Moon gave it's light to the world and the stars did the same
Mother and father, both proud of the daughter
That Heaven had sent them, Feleena was this baby's name

When she was seventeen, bothered by crazy dreams
She ran away from the shack and left them to roam
Father and mother, both asked one another
What made her run away, what made Feleena leave home

Tired of the desert nights, poverty, grief and strife
She ran away late one night in the moon's golden gleam
She didn't know where she'd go but she'd get there
And she would find happiness if she would follow her dream

After she ran away, she went to Santa Fe
And in the year that she stayed there, she learned about life
In just a little while she learned that with a smile
She could have pretty clothes, she could be any man's wife

Rich men romanced her, they dined and they danced her
She understood men and she treated them all just the same
A form that was fine and rare, dark shining glossy hair
Lovely to look at, Feleena was this woman's name

Restless in Santa Fe, she had to get away
To any town where the lights had a much brighter glow
One cowboy mentioned the town of El Paso
They never stopped dancin' and money like whiskey would flow

She bought one way a ticket from Santa Fe
Three days and nights on a stage with a rest now and then
She didn't mind that she knew she would find that
Her new life would be more exciting than where she had been

The stage made it's last stop, up there on the mountain top
To let her see all the lights at the foot of the hill
Her world was brighter and deep down inside her
An uncontrolled beating her young heart just wouldn't be still

She got a hotel room at the Lily Belle
Quickly she changed to a form fitting black satin dress
Every man stopped to stare, at this form fine and rare
Even the women remarked of the charm she possessed

Dancin' and laughter, was what she was after
And Rosa's Cantina had lights with love in the gleam
That's what she hunted and that's what she wanted
Rosa's was one place, a nice girl would never be seen

It was the same way, it was back in Santa Fe
Men would make fools of themselves at the thought of romance
Rosa took heed of the place was in need of
This kind of excitement, so she paid Feleena to dance

A year passed and maybe more and then through the swingin' doors
Came a young cowboy so tall and so handsomely dressed
This one was new in town, hadn't been seen around
He was so different, he wasn't like all of the rest

Feleena danced close to him, then threw a rose to him
Quickly he walked to her table and there he sat down
And in a day or so, wherever folks would go
They'd see this young cowboy, showin' Feleena the town

Six weeks he went with her, each minute spent with her
But he was insanely jealous of glances she'd give
Inside he was a hurtin', from all of her flirtin'
That was her nature and that was the way that she lived

She flirted one night, it started a gun fight
And after the smoke cleared away on the floor lay a man
Feleena's young lover had shot down another
And he had to leave there, so out through the back door he ran

The next day at five o'clock, she heart a rifle shot
Quickly she ran to the door that was facin' the pass
She saw her cowboy, her wild ridin' cowboy
Low in the saddle, her cowboy was ridin' in fast

She ran to meet him to kiss and to greet him
He saw her and motioned her back with a wave of his hand
Bullets were flyin', Feleena was cryin'
As she saw him fall from the saddle and into the sand

Feleena knelt near him to hold and to hear him
When she felt the warm blood that flowed from the wound in his side
He raised to kiss her and she heard him whisper
'Never forget me, Feleena it's over, goodbye'

Quickly she grabbed for the six gun that he wore
And screamin' in anger and placin' the gun to her breast
Bury us both deep and maybe we'll find peace
And pullin' the trigger, she fell 'cross the dead cowboy's chest

Out in El Paso, whenever the wind blows
If you listen closely at night, you'll hear in the wind
A woman is cryin', it's not the wind sighin'
Old timer's tell you, Feleena is callin' for him

You'll hear them talkin' and you'll hear them walkin'
You'll hear them laugh and you'll look but there's no one around
Don't be alarmed, there is really no harm there
It's only the young cowboy, showin' Feleena the town