Cattleman's Gun - Dean Brody

He rode into town one dust storm

Sheepskin cloak across his back

A preacher man with kind old eyes

And a mystery for a past

He said he’d come to teach about

The love of God

But he soon learned what they were missing there

Was justice and the law

There was a cattleman who claimed his clan

Owned all the land around

And any brave fool who that might dispute

He was quick to snuff 'em out

He’d say, «Take my heed

And you won’t pay the price

'Cause honor and a name ain’t worth a damn

If you don’t have your life.»

He’d say, «Ain't nobody faster than this cattle man’s gun

I’m a rattlesnake on the trigger

Your last stand’ll be lyin' in the sand

Fallin' to the slam of my hammer.»

So one man taught forgiveness

While the other taught suffering

The preacher said deliverance

Could be found out on their knees

He said, «I know that you want justice

And you want blood

But believe me when I say to you

Don’t try and be that man’s judge

'Cause ain’t nobody faster than that cattleman’s gun

He’s a rattlesnake on the trigger

Your last stand’ll be lyin' in the sand

Fallin' to the slam of his hammer."

One day a young farmer brought his sons to town for feed

And he noticed that the streets were quiet, and he knew what that might mean

The smoke rose in the distance

His farm burned to the ground

He let the fury overtake him

When Cattle Man came back to town

Those boys ran out from behind the crowd

And watched their daddy die

The big man laughed and said, «Now look at that

Anybody else wanna give it a try?»

Well, the church doors opened with that black cloak flowin' behind the

preacher’s fiery eyes

He said, «Your ticket to Hell is a comin' to you

And I got a hollow-point to give you the ride.»

And the only thing faster than the cattle man’s gun

Was the preacher’s handy finger

He pulled iron from his side and let that bullet fly

Beat the rattlesnake to the hammer

While the preacher embraced forgiveness

Oh, they finally understood

Under that sheepskin cloak of his

Was a history of blood