Roger Miller - The Ballad Of Waterhole Number 3 (Code Of The West) lyrics

I'll tell you a story that's never been told Of rapin' and k**in' And government gold The place Arizona The year '84 Sit back and I'll tell you some more A thirty year captain Just earnin' his pay Was movin' a shipment of bullion that day While men without honor were waitin' to test The unwritten code of the west It's the code of the west You must honor your neighbor The code of the west To your own self be true The code of the west You must do unto others Do unto others before they do it unto you Sweet yellow, sweet yellow Sweet tangerine gold You make a man fevered you make a man bold So the town of Delores that morning in May Was in for an infamous day You don't draw with the stranger If he's faster than you You've sung your last ditty You've kissed your last pretty And played yer last hand if you do When fate is the dealer you raise or you call A chance takin' man plays the cards as they fall A map worth a k**in' is worth trackin' down So off to Integrity town The code of the west ain't some words on a page You just naturally know it when you come of age You eat when you're hungry, you drink when you're dry You look every man in the eye It's the code of the west when the boys talk of women The code of the west what you know you don't tell The code of the west a man soaps his own saddle Brands his own cattle and some of his neighbour's as well If you're buildin' fences then I ain't for hire You get me for nothin' and I'll bring the wire You patch up my windows, I'll plumb up your doors If you scratch my back I'll scratch yours It's the code of the west you must honour your neighbour The code of the west to your own self be true The code of the west you must do unto others Do unto others before them others do it unto you A yellow haired woman is early to bloom Her laughter is roses Her smile is perfume But the child of the lawman can die on the vine With no man to take of her wine It's the code of the west You don't leave for tomorrow The code of the west What can be done today The code of the west It's a true fact of livin' What so lovingly given will lovingly come back yer way The desert was losing its fight with the sun As Cole stopped for water at hole number 1 Just what was he chasin' he'd sure like to know But he still had him two holes to go The code of the west Show your backside to evil The code of the west Give the devil his due The code of the west You must do unto others Do unto others before they do it unto you Now rapin' and k**in' Ain't really so bad But stealin' ole Blue Now that made sheriff John mad You don't help yourself to the eggs in the nest Of the man with the badge on his vest For tumbleweeds tumblin' from boulder to stone Your permanent address is places unknown You eat when your hungry You drink when your dry If wishes were eagles you'd fly Rest your head on your saddle Dream of fortune and fame When the winds in the willow A girl hugs her pillow And wishes that she knew his name Now treat a girl tender She'll preen like a bride But take her for granted She'll come for your hide She'll shoot off your head If you leave her behind And you'll loose your natural mind Sweet yellow, sweet yellow, sweet tangerine gold You make a man fevered you make a man bold Your warm like a woman a treasure to hold Sweet yellow sweet tangerine gold You make a man fevered you make a man bold Sweet yellow sweet tangerine gold You got to do unto others Do unto others before they do unto you When a showdown is comin' When a shootout is due Face up to the danger Throw a slug into a stranger Before he throws one into you You gotta do unto others Do unto others before they do unto you While Ben was playin' steal the gold and make your gettaway The other three played shoot em up and turnabouts fair play But Ben had tasted painted lips and heard the sirns song So he could hardly keep from going wrong It's the code of the west Heed the word of your sisters The code of the west Make a left turn from sin The code of the west Keep an eye on temptation, recite the quotation That says when Satan calls your name it doesn't matter How you played the game 'cause all he cares about is Did you win? Now Cole and John and Henry J were feelin' mighty sad To think a little sack of gold could turn a good man bad But when you picked em meek and mild against the brave and bold The meek inherit all the armys gold Now in the meantime Billie girl was scemeing on her own She know a healthy sweet young thing could live by bread alone To play the tricky game of life a woman needs a plan To play the game of love she needs a man. Now Lewton Cole know Billie had some mighty fetchin' ways Ol' Ben would tell her everything and still get ninety days Beneath the rock beside the trail that leads to Mexico You'll find yourself a hundred pounds or so It's the code of the west Every girl needs a dowery The code of the west And it don't matter whose The code of the west When a girls pushin' twenty She's gotta end up with plenty If she wants to end up with rice in her shoes Well Cole had a few other things left to do He flowered his Stetson And boarded ol Blue The rougher you treat em The stronger they grieve And the longer they watch when you leave Oh Mexico is just ahead so gambler move along There ain't nobody there to care if you did right or wrong You shot a thief ,you found some gold you stole a kiss or two And the worlds a better place because of you Oh the code of the west When you're drinkin' toquilla The code of the west Toast the red white and blue The code of the west Be kind to your neighbors Your new northern neighbors Remember they've been awfully good to you!!