Ride to "El Paso" one more time with Marty Robbins Quiz

Answer: Rosa's cantina

You remember the story is set in the West Texas town of El Paso. "Night-time would find me in Rosa's cantina, Music would play and Felina would whirl." The story is told in the first person as though Marty were the young cowboy.

Answer: blacker than night

They were also the eyes of an enchantress - "wicked and evil while casting a spell".

Answer: wild as the west Texas wind

Quickly the stranger starts to get the storyteller angry by dancing and drinking with Felina. You know instantly that trouble will break out.

Answer: less than a heartbeat

The man reaches for his gun but the storyteller in a blaze of anger shoots him down. This is the crucial moment of fate. Now he is doomed.

Answer: foul evil

The storyteller clearly has a conscience and realises that he has committed a killing because of his jealous anger. He also considers that his only chance is to run away instantly. Is this another quick and foolish decision. Could he have claimed self-defence as the man had gone for his gun ?

Answer: The Badlands of New Mexico

He makes his escape through the back door of Rosie's cantina and sets off into the wilderness with no real thought as to where he is going.

Answer: his love

It's another foolish decision perhaps. He returns to El Paso because he needs to see her again. It is the one place he can be sure that trouble is waiting.

Answer: bullet

He claims that nothing is worse than the pain in his heart. Thus he becomes fatalistic about the possibility of a bullet striking him and killing him. He must return to Felina.

Answer: five

Very soon there is "shouting and shooting". He used the same sort of alliteration earlier when he said the stranger was "dancing and daring".

Answer: side

The first bullet hits him in the side. Thus he says, "I'm getting weary, unable to ride." His determination carries him on.

Answer: white

All the details of what happened are carefully included. The listener is given colours and feelings to relate to as the cowboy rides to his death.

Answer: his chest

"I feel the bullet go deep in my chest". Somehow the rifle shot is made to sound more destructive. It is the word "deep" that gets this across.

Answer: nowhere

The song doesn't describe all the details anymore. Things are missed out to give the impression of him blinded by pain and confusion. He is about to slip into the final unconsciousness.

Answer: she kisses his cheek

She kneels by his side and kisses his cheek. Maybe she cared for him after all. Earlier in the song he had declared that he was in love but it was "in vain". In the sequel song entitled "Felina" we learn that she probably did love him after all. She immediately kills herself using his sixgun. His jealousy was not really necessary.

Answer: goodbye

"in arms that I'd die for. One little kiss and Felina, goodbye."
A cynical person might ask how could he tell this story if he is dead. For the rest of us I am sure we keep hoping for a different ending to this classic four minute tragedy.