Ballad of Billy the Kid
Ballad of Billy the Kid

Billy Joel - Ballad of Billy the Kid Lyrics

Rock
Sep 21, 1998
502
Ballad of Billy the Kid Music Video

Ballad of Billy the Kid Lyrics

From a town known as Wheeling, West Virginia
Rode a boy with a six gun in his hand
And his daring life of crime
made him a legend in his time
east and west of the Rio Grande.

Well he started with a bank in Colorado
in the pocket of his vest, a Colt he hid
and his age and his size
took the teller by surprise
and, the word spread of Billy the kid

Well he never travelled heavy
yes he always rode alone
and he soon put many older guns to shame
and he never had a sweetheart
and he never had a home
but the cowboy and the rancher knew his name

Well he robbed his way from Utah to Oklahoma
and the largest could not seem to track him down
and it served his legend well
For the folks they loved to tell about
When Billy the kid came to town

Well one cold day a posse captured Billy
and the judge said "String him up for what he did"
And the cowboys and their kin
like the sea, came pouring in
to watch the hanging of Billy the kid.

Well he never travelled heavy
yes he always rode alone
and he soon put many older guns to shame
and he never had a sweetheart
but he finally found a home
under the boothill grave that bears his name.

From a town known as Oyster Bay Long Island
Rode a boy with a six pack in his hand
and his daring life of crime
made him a legend in his time
east and west of the Rio Grande

Writer(s): BILLY JOEL
Copyright(s): Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Is 'The Ballad of Billy the Kid' historically accurate?

    No, Billy Joel himself admitted in a 1975 interview that the song is historically inaccurate. It was meant to be an impressionist type of lyric, not a factual recounting of Billy the Kid's life.

  2. Where did Billy Joel claim Billy the Kid was from in the song?

    In the song, Billy Joel claimed that Billy the Kid was from Wheeling, West Virginia. However, there are no historical records to support this claim.

  3. Did Billy the Kid really rob banks as mentioned in the song?

    No, the real Billy the Kid did not rob banks. This detail, like other elements in the song, was fictionalized by Billy Joel.

  4. How did Billy the Kid die according to the song versus reality?

    In the song, Billy the Kid is captured and hanged. In reality, he was shot and killed by Pat Garrett.

  5. Who is the 'Billy' mentioned in the last verse of the song?

    The 'Billy' in the last verse is a bartender named Billy Nastri from Oyster Bay, Long Island, not Billy Joel himself.

  6. What inspired Billy Joel to write 'The Ballad of Billy the Kid'?

    Billy Joel was inspired to write the song as an experiment with impressionist lyrics and as commentary on rock-star hype. He also aimed to create an Old West vibe akin to the soundtrack for 'The Magnificent Seven.'

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