I still can picture him 
His hands in his back pockets 
He wasn't much for words 
But when the wise kids made a racket 
He just had to go downtown 
Throw his weight around for starting over 
"Say did you hear I've got a band?" 
Some guys I know from LA 
Put on Rio Grande 
I'll pay you back next Friday 
You know it sure ain't big 
Just some cats I dig 
They said; "They'd do the gig" 
Oh Desperado 
Why don't you spend your life in Colorado? 
Oh restless shadow 
Out in the blue hills 
You're feeling hollow 
Oh El Diablo 
Why did you spend your life in California? 
I should have warned ya  
No place to go now but falling over 
Some guys can't make it on [bad word] 
Under the gun 
Not for the younger 
Oh Jack Daniel s I feel your hunger 
I know you did your best 
But you thought that you did not 
I wish that I had known 
Before I heard the last shot 
You know it's not a sin 
That little badge of tin 
Just a momento 
So sad your love remained 
 [bad word] lost in battle 
The music was a din from London to Seattle 
We all made you play and all our yesterdays 
Are starting over 
Oh Desperado 
Why don't you spend your life in Colorado? 
Oh restless shadow 
Out in the blue hills 
You're feeling hollow 
Oh, El Diablo 
Why did you spend your life in California? 
I should have warned ya  
No place to go now but falling over 
Ready to die 
No he's ready to die