Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
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The red headed stranger from Blue Rock, Montana Rode into town one day And under his knees was a ragin' black stallion And walkin' behind was a bay The red headed stranger had eyes like the thunder And his lips, they were sad and tight His little lost love lay asleep on the hillside And his heart was heavy as night Don't cross him, don't boss him He's wild in his sorrow He's ridin' an' hidin' his pain Don't fight him, don't spite him Just wait till tomorrow Maybe he'll ride on again A yellow haired lady leaned out of her window An' watched as he passed her way She drew back in fear at the sight of the stallion But cast greedy eyes on the bay But how could she know that this dancin' bay pony Meant more to him than life For this was the horse that his little lost darlin' Had ridden when she was his wife Don't cross him, don't boss him He's wild in his sorrow He's ridin' an' hidin' his pain Don't fight him, don't spite him Just wait till tomorrow Maybe he'll ride on again The yellow haired lady came down to the tavern An' looked up the stranger there He bought her a drink, an' he gave her some money He just didn't seem to care She followed him out as he saddled his stallion An' laughed as she grabbed at the bay He shot her so quick, they had no time to warn her She never heard anyone say Don't cross him, don't boss him He's wild in his sorrow He's ridin' an' hidin' his pain Don't fight him, don't spite him Just wait till tomorrow Maybe he'll ride on again The yellow haired lady was buried at sunset The stranger went free, of course For you can't hang a man for killin' a woman Who's tryin' to steal your horse This is the tale of the red headed stranger And if he should pass your way Stay out of the path of the ragin' black stallion And don't lay a hand on the bay Don't cross him, don't boss him He's wild in his sorrow He's ridin' an' hidin' his pain Don't fight him, don't spite him Just wait till tomorrow Maybe he'll ride on again
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Written by: CARL STUTZ, EDITH L CALISCH
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Album Title"Red Headed Stranger" is not just a song, but also the title of Willie Nelson's 18th studio album which was released in 1975.
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StorylineThe song, "Red Headed Stranger", is presented as a narrative that explains the story of a fugitive on the run after killing his wife and a man she cheated with.
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Cover SongIn a twist, "Red Headed Stranger" is actually a cover. Originally, it was an American folk song written and performed by Carl Stutz and Edith Lindeman in 1953, which Nelson covered for his album.
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Risky ReleaseWillie Nelson's decision to release "Red Headed Stranger" was seen as a risk because its bare-bones production was considered an anomaly for country music at that time.
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Stardom BoosterDespite the risk, the album went on to become one of Nelson's most successful albums, boosting his stardom and establishing him as a leading star of country music during the 1970s.
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LengthThe song, "Red Headed Stranger", itself is quite short, with a run time of just around 3 minutes 58 seconds.
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Hit SingleNotably, "Red Headed Stranger" was not released as a single off the album of the same name. Instead, the song "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" became the hit single, but the title track still received significant praise and remains a fan-favorite.
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Storyline ThemeThe song, and the album as a whole, is known for its prominent use of a cowboy, old West storyline - a theme common in many of Willie Nelson's works.
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Nelson's PerformanceWillie Nelson's deeply nuanced and laid-back interpretation of "Red Headed Stranger" earned him significant critical acclaim.
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Influential AlbumAlthough "Red Headed Stranger" was initially greeted with skepticism by Nelson's record label, the album's success helped drive a shift in country music to a more minimalist, stripped-down sound, highlighting the importance of songwriting and storytelling.
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