Laid back in an old saloon, with a peso in my hand,
Watchin flies and children on the street,
And I catch a glimpse of black-eyed girls who giggle 
when I smile,
Theres a little boy who wants to shine my feet.

And its three days ride from bakersfield and I dont 
know why I came.
I guess I came to keep from payin dues.
So instead Ive got a bottle and a girl whos just 
fourteen,
And a [bad word] good case of the mexicali blues. yeh!

Is there anything a man dont stand to lose,
When the devil wants to take it all away? 
Cherish well your thoughts, and keep a tight grip on 
your booze,
Cause thinkin and drinkin are all I have today.

She said her name was billy jean and she was fresh in 
town.
I didnt know a stage line ran from [bad word] 
She had raven hair, [bad word] dress, a necklace made of 
gold,
All the french perfume youd care to smell.

She took me up into her room and whispered in my ear,
Go on, my friend, do anything you choose.
Now Im payin for those happy hours I spent there in her 
arms,
With a lifetimes worth of the mexicali blues.

Is there anything a man dont stand to lose,
When the devil wants to take it all away? 
Cherish well your thoughts, and keep a tight grip on 
your booze
Cause thinkin and drinkin are all I have today.

And then a man rode into town, some thought he was the 
law.
Billy jean was waitin when he came.
She told me he would take her, if I didnt use my gun,
Id have no one but myself to blame.

I went down to those dusty streets, blood was on my 
mind.
I guess that stranger hadnt heard the news
Cause I shot first and killed him, lord, he didnt even 
draw
And he made me trade the gallows for the mexicali 
blues.

Is there anything a man dont stand to lose
When he lets a woman hold him in her hands? 
He just might find himself out there on horseback in 
the dark
Just ridin [bad word] across those desert sands.