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Pancho & Lefty
Pancho & Lefty is one of my favorite Willie Nelson songs (well, I like his version the best, it was recently pointed out to me that the song was actually written by Townes Van Zandt), which, like most country music, has been covered by just about every singer under the sun. I love some of the imagery, I can just see a highwayman with “skin like iron and breath as hard as kerosene”.
However, after listening to this song several gazillion times, I started to wonder about the true meaning of the story. On the surface it seems to be about the straightforward downfall of a semi-famous bandito, but after a close examination there seems to be a subtle subtext of betrayal, consider for example the following lines:
“Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin words, ah but that's the way it goes”
Ok, so Pancho was alone when he died.
“The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows”
Lefty not only “split for Ohio”, he left before Pancho was gunned down, as proven above AND he had money to pay for the trip. Does this mean that he stole money from Pancho or did he in fact sell Pacho out to the Federales in order to save his own skin?
“Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old”
Hmmmmm, it sure sounds like Lefty was offered a pretty straightforward choice, his life or Panchos.
“All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose”
Or did they in fact let him slip away because it was part of the deal. I mean, the balladeer supposes that the Federales were just being kind, but I say that there was a much more sinister plot afoot!
Anyhow, here’s the full lyrics for “Pancho & Lefty”, let me know your take on the story!
Pancho & Lefty
Livin on the road my friend, is gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath as hard as kerosene
You weren't your momma's only boy, but her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams
Pancho was a bandit boy, his horse was fast as polished steel
He wore his gun outside his pants
For all the honest world to feel
Pancho met his match you know on the deserts down in Mexico
Nobody heard his dyin words, ah but that's the way it goes
All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away, out of kindness I suppose
Lefty he can't sing the blues all night long like he used to
The dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth
The day they laid poor Pancho low, Lefty split for Ohio
Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows
All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him slip away out of kindness I suppose
The boys tell how old Pancho fell, and Lefty's livin in cheap hotels
The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold
And so the story ends we're told
Pancho needs your prayers it's true, but save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do, and now he's growing old
All the Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose
A few gray Federales say, they could've had him any day
They only let him go so long, out of kindness I suppose
Posted by Dylon on November 5, 2006 12:51 PM |
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Comments
This is not a " Willie Nelson song, which, like most country music, has been covered by just about every singer under the sun."
It was written by Townes Van Zandt, and covered by Willie, among others.
Consider this if you will.. Lefty was cia.The mexican federales
in the song just said they coulda had him.
In reality he was a pain and gaining popularity in mexico
with the locals ..sort of a robinhood figure. mexicos pres
asked the US pres for his help
in exchange for cheap labor agreements.The cia trained lefty to infiltrate panchos gang and eventually after befriending him shot him in cold blood in the desert.
Lefty was than extracted to
ohio where he lived under the
then newly formed witness protection program.
Don't ask me how I know this..please...
One of my faves too. Great story in this song, and it does raise a lot of questions. I love Willie's version, too - but REALLY like Emmylou Harris' rendition of this great song.
You're right! Emmylou's version is awesome! I also love the haunting version of "Long Black Veil" that she does with Dave Matthews, especially the recording from Austin City Limits!
Consider this, a la O'Henry. Perhaps Lefty IS Pancho. Perhaps he took the money the federales gave him to 'disappear' -- after all, no one heard his dying words. I like to think of Pancho coming to the conclusion that banditing was not all it was cracked up to be, sold out and moved to Cleveland, leaving behind his hero status for a squalid existence in a cold northern city. The dirt that he bit ended up in Lefty's mouth -- who else but Pancho? Just another take....
Actually, that's a pretty clever alternate interpretation of the lyrics, kudos!
Lefty didn't leave before Pancho was killed!!! He split the day of the funeral. The "day they laid poor Pancho low" was the day that they buried him. By then, we've already heard about how he was murdered & how Lefty can't even take in a breath w/o choking on his guilt (the sand in his mouth). Lefty splits on burial day - probably at the same time.
Unless of course, the scheming Pancho (disguised as Lefty) has arranged for the old dead body switcharoo and what he's really choking on is the fact that he can't believe that he's getting away with it!
In fact, maybe Pacho murdered his sidekick Lefty and assumed his identity before taking off?
However, I'll still stick by my original hypothesis that Lefty sold Pancho out to the Federales!
I am in agreement with R Terry. I believe that Lefty is an alias of Pancho. I believe that Pancho was feeling threatened and created the side kick Lefty as his alter ego. He then set up another poor soul to be the stand in at "his" funeral. Adopting the identity of the alter ego he then runs to Ohio.
I don't believe he suffers from guilt but simply loneliness because he can't tell anyone who he is, and if he did, who would believe him?
The Federales could've had Poncho any day, but were sympathetic so they continually let him slip away until there was pressure from their superiors. They made a deal with Poncho. They would claim he's dead and buried but Poncho would had to leave forever and become Lefty. They gave him some dough and he did what he had to do which was to go live in CLEVELAND for the rest of his life.....which the Federales figured was punishment enough for anyone.
Hi,
I saw an interview with Townes Van Zandt. In this he stated that a difference between his Pancho and Pancho Villa was that the later was executed by firing squad and the former was HANGED.
("hanging around"); This procludes a switch of identity.
Here IT IS the real true story van Zandt wanted no one to know: Pancho after the revolution was targeted for death by the new government because he was a threat due to his enormous popularity with the Mexican people. Van Zandt adds in his song a twist that allows fictious Lefty to become Pancho and continues his life north of the border. History notes that Pancho skull was never recovered lending to Zandt's story that Pancho "growing old" in Ohio. Van Zandt had "long term memory loss" concerns and never intended this debate over this song's story to linger for as long as it has but in reality did'nt remember what a great story he had created!!!
This could be totally off the Mark, but I have thought about this song ALOT.
Heres my take:
Lefty is just a kid who goes down south looking for adventure and runs across Pancho the Outlaw.
They get into a duel and Lefty "does what he has to do"... killing Pancho in a fair fight. He splits for Ohio the day they bury Pancho. Lefty gets the money from Pancho after killing him ina fair fight.
Classic western story, Kid faces outlaw and outduels him?
I think the federales "let him go out of kindness" because he did something they either couldn't do or were dreading doing in killing Pancho.
If the federales paid him off as a sidekick "where he got the bread to go aint nobody knows" wouldnt make sense.
Did not know Townes but love his stories. Have done some research.
Most of Townes songs were about himself and his struggles. Lefty and Pancho is the story of a break in a close friendship of his possibly by his substance abuse.
Someday I will be able to ask Townes or might run into Lefty next time I am in Cleveland.
June 2010