I have the reputation
That's known throughout the land
They say I'm faster on the draw
Than any living man
They call me a bad man
They say I kill for fun
They say the only thing I know
Is how to use a gun
But they don't know the reason
They branded me as bad
It started many years ago
When I was just a lad
I rode into a cattle town
A boy of twenty-three
So young and yet that very day
I carved my destiny
I walked into the town saloon
That sad and fateful day
Then I began to gamble
To pass the time away
I thought I'd play a hand or two
And hit the trail again
But Lady Luck was with me
And I began to win
The dealer kept on dealing
The stakes were getting high
And pretty soon there was no one left
But an old cowboy and I
The minutes seemed like hours
You couldn't hear a sound
We'd bet and raised until we'd laid
All our money down
The cowboy smiled and showed his hand
Three aces he did hold
But I laid down a royal flush
And reached to claim my gold
The cowboy stood and faced me
His hands hung at his hips
A look of hate was in his eyes
The smile had left his lips
He said, "Young man, slap leather
I'm known for miles around
To keep my reputation up
I've got to gun you down"
With lightning speed we drew and fired
One life to me the cost
The cowboy tumbled to the floor
His reputation lost
Now years have come and years have gone
And many men have died
Each tried his luck and hoped he'd be
The fastest gun alive
And in my many fights to live
I wondered if I'd won
I'm known to all as bad man
They think I kill for fun
Someday I'll meet a cowboy
Who's speed will meet the test
And that will end the saga of
The bad man of the west