Recently I found out that the song "El Paso" by Marty Robbins was the number one song about a gun fight. When I heard this I went online to research the song to get to know more about it because it was one of my Dad's favorite songs.
Did you know that the Grateful Dead covered this song and that it was their most requested song on the road? Also, Marty Robbins wrote another song, "El Paso City," while flying over El Paso. He said it was the second time he had ever written a song in the same amount of time it takes to sing it. The first one was "El Paso"!!! Both songs hit number one!
Most of you might know my Dad was born in El Paso, Texas. As far as I am concerned he was the only good thing that came out of Texas.
My Dad was not really into music enough to go out and buy it or buy a stereo, but he did like to listen to it on the radio if he had one. I do remember having the Marty Robins album in the house that had "El Paso" on it. All we had was a record player and I think the only reason we had that was for Sister's 45's.
Anyway, as I listen to this song, it reminds of Dad for different reasons.
1. He was born there.
2. Dad was born 100 years too late. He loved anything to do with the old west.
3. He loved his childhood home Mexico and the culture. When we would go to Matta's he would always have the mariachis sing the Mexico national anthem.
So please listen to the song and I think you can envision Dad trying to sing it!
