Marty Robbins - Sundown / The Texas Ranger

[thisolcowboy21]

WHAT THE OLD RANGER WAS BLIND?????????? wow didnt see that coming

[splrong6]

I do believe Bill was the ARIZONA ranger from Big Iron!! Looked for this song for over 20 years, used to be called the Ballad of Bill Thaxton. Just can't find it anywhere. THANKS FOR THE POST!!!!

[thisolcowboy21]

@splrong6 i reckon if we could ask martty he would say that bill is the ranger form big iron but he probbaly went on to become a texas ranger

[PanVet100]

@splrong6 Sorry, I think you're wrong. Sykes's song, SUNDOWN 1st appeared on Robbin's '76 album EL PASO CITY, which apparently notes a Texas town. Thaxton is described as old in the gunfighter days (1865-1900) so he would have been a legendary ranger ("one of the bravest and best of the bold") many years before. This only makes sense if Sykes intended for him to be a Texas Ranger. The Arizona rangers weren't formed until 1901 and didn't last long. They had few members and fewer heroes/ stories.

[revcdp]

This song was written by Bobby Sykes...who was the baritone in Marty's trio for more than 20 years. He told me he got the idea for the song from a Time-Life compilation of western stories.

[wildoutrudeboy]

I read this stroy in the old 6"x5" Western Comics in the seventies.

[WestTexasViking]

someone could turn this and the song "Hurry Sundown" into a hell of a novel

[bodeesiteman]

Nobody sang like Marty Robbins or did a country ballad like him. when Iwant to hear country song Ilisten to Marty it kinda makes me feel blue I 'm so glad he left us so much. Dereck Siteman

[whitemanrunshim]

Very good.

[zeak62]

Elvis, Jim Reeves,Tex Ritter Johnny Cash, can

[F14ace]

I always wondered if Bill Thaxton was the same ranger from Big Iron.

[Dusthunter0]

@F14ace Nope, Bill Thaxton is blind, the Arizona ranger is not.

[F14ace]

@Dusthunter0 He's blind cuz he got old. He presumably wasn't blind his entire life.

[merlehaggardandgluef]

@F14ace awe yes, but Bill could have been blind longer, he was already used to gun slinging without his eyes to have beaten sundown.

[Shippo1306]

When I was younger my dad would listen to this on our roadtrips to oregon and I hated it... now that Ive gotten older I actually like it and have come to appreciate it... its sad music just isn't as good as it was in the 60's 70's and even earlier

[BBQFanNo1]

AUTOTUNE---THE BIGGEST LIE EVER CREATED IN MUSIC HISTORY AROUND THE WORLD

[BBQFanNo1]

Autotune is the Devil. Frauding Millions of people who have only known Music since 1997 around the World

[BBQFanNo1]

Born in Glendale Arizona. Marty's Grandfather is Texas Native. This is why Texas is naturally in his blood. He sings tradional Texas music better than people in this generation born in Texas themselves. They seemed to sell out to Hollywood,Yuppies,and Wall Street B.S.. Also known as Sold Their Souls To The Devil.

[JennyMichaels]

Each generation is fortunate in that they do get their share of great singers and songs. Ones that stand the test of time. Marty and his songs were one of his generations, and we get to share in it. Ain't life and recordings grand? Thank you for posting.

[BBQFanNo1]

@JennyMichaels As long they don't comprimise selling their souls to the Devil.

[merlehaggardandgluef]

hey, not my favorite by him, but after listening to his best, how could it be. This is still one of the greatest songs ever, just because Marty Robbins did it. His voice is like that of God, and his imagery even surpasses that.

[gandolf5000]

this is the best country music ever Marty Robbins is the best.

[typicalviewer2]

I hate country music, but this is good.

[nilton8198]

what a great song real country music

[JennyMichaels]

@nilton8198 Actually this is the ballad form of C&W. When I was young the only C&W I really liked was ballads. As I got older and had more life experience I learned to appreciate other forms of C&W. What I hate is the ones who think they have to be like rock stars to be good. Rock is rock, country is country, and rockabilly is some of both and some of neither. But I still love these ballads best.

[DukeFanGermany]

Great Song, thx for upload!

[whitemanrunshim]

What a song, what an artist!

[shonha1]

There's still good music in every genre out there, just that you won't find it on tv or the radio, if Marty Robbins came on the scene today, he probably wouldn't even get a record deal

[merlehaggardandgluef]

@shonha1 I know, and that pisses me off.

[MegaAutostop]

Applaud, Applaud, Applaud, !!!!!!!!!!!

[LLMorse1]

I appreciate the ballads.

Another who sang ballads was KENDALL MORSE.

You might appreciate both styles.

[jayme3100]

yes...its the ballad of bill thaxton...its a great song..very cleverly written...Marty was such a great song writer......

[MarlboroKnightHawk]

wait...this is confusing. Who won? The Ranger or the outlaw? wtf.

[dmillervfed]

@MarlboroKnightHawk Ranger Baxter won even though he was blind by gaugeing where Sundown was by his voice, and the sun dont matter to blind men

[mad9172]

@MarlboroKnightHawk The Ranger Bill Thaxton

[danayeager]

It's a wonderful song and has always been one of my favorites.  Marty was the best.

[jessienoo10]

@EagleVendetta So? Let's just forget about this,and if you don't want to listen, that is your problem.

[jessienoo10]

@EagleVendetta Well if you looked above, you could have simply see that. Sheesh. Chill out.

[jessienoo10]

@EagleVendetta I didn't know that. I told you i was doing something/making something. I was recording something ok.

[jessienoo10]

I wuz doing something i think.

[thaxxtonnfamily77]

hey guys bill thaxton is my great great great uncle :)

[jessienoo10]

I hate western songs

[bigcat9800]

@jessienoo10 since you hate country music why are you watching and or listening 

[witchkiwi]

Where have all the story telling singers gone?

Sad to say a magic artist like Marty wouldn't even get an audtion spot on shows like American Idol or Australias' Got Talent.

Guess George and Alan was right, Murder has been commited.

[nityanandi]

Pure spirituality, like El Paso City. Encomiums!!

Blessings, Marty. 

[NCCountryBoy20]

The title is Sundown (ballad of bill thaxton). Great song thanks for posting it

[beamcl1]

Somehow, had never heard this one until this morning on the radio. Had to look it up, of course! Thanks for posting! I was madly in love with Marty when I about 8 years old!

[F14ace]

Man, nobody can sing like Marty Robbins. 

[SKYYdiver1969]

It's written as SUNDOWN in most places I've look with the Ballad of Bill Thaxton as a subtitle. The confusion is probably due to reissues or typos supplanting the original Sundown title with the subtitle. No big deal either way.

[welcometoorefuge]

ACTUALLY...I still have the album,and it is and was, titled" the ballad of Bill Thaxton"

[PanVet100]

@welcometoorefuge

I still think Bobby Sykes wrote the lyrics with the witty and sad SUNDOWN title (which is listed all over the place) and that it only later acquired the campy Ballad of Bill Thaxton title.

[RyanVonFleming]

What a legend!

[vintagemariners]

i found the lp in second hand store and ur right it called the ballad of bill thaxton.i look for a long time.its a classic song. only marty robbins can tell the story.

[PanVet100]

@vintagemariners

Actually, I think it was originally titled SUNDOWN. See my previous posts on this issue.

[aqx770]

I've heard that Marty's grandfather was a Texas Ranger. I don't know about that, but I do know Marty sings about combat in a way only someone who's been there- or knows well someone who has.

Many years ago I knew a men like Bill. One of them, who I think knew Wayatt Erp ( Erp died in 1929) said you could wake up Erp dead drunk in a whorehouse at 4:00 AM and he'd meet the challenge.

[PanVet100]

Sorry I offended you Malibu. Obviously there are going to be similarities between the song Sundown and other Robbins songs since they're sung by the same person, with the same instruments and on a similar subject. However your declaring that Sundown is a mere clone of a particular song, but still great was kind of a backhanded compliment. I didn't say you insulted Robbins.

[VoidOnTuesday]

@sevenofnineau it's also known by the two titles listed in the video.

[PanVet100]

Well, Gruffy, Sundown (later called The Ballad of Bill Thaxton) apparently appeared for the first on Robbin's 1976 album El Paso City, but I don't if it's on any later ones. Good luck finding it somewhere.

[MrTheelvisfan]

@PanVet100 `

That's right this song is only on this lp.

Later the song appeared on a 4 cd set: `Under Western Skies' on Bear Family Records.

[PanVet100]

@MrTheelvisfan Thanks for the information. Yea, I haven't found it anywhere else in the last year.

[grufty53]

This is without a doubt Marty at his complete best does anyone know what album this can be found on because I have so just got to have this its a classic

[rocky2007tucson]

its a Ballad, pure wonderful classic from Marty

[bikerDude466]

who every is talking shit abought marty is a bumb shit the man was great clarence said this

[PanVet100]

Nice insult with your compliment Malibu, but I disagree on it being an El Paso clone. With the dismilar subject and other aspects of Sundown, it sounds like a very different song to me. It may even be better than El Paso.

[malibucrush]

@PanVet100 Its the cadence alone that sounds like El Paso. I do appreciate the lyrical content. I by no means meant to imply that the song didn't have its own merit. I don't appreciate you saying that I was insulting the great MR.

[malibucrush]

This maybe a "El Paso" clone but its still better than 99% of the other "country' music out there. No auto tune and pure vocals.

[zaaritha]

All he has recorded are great stories!

[kangaroomary2010]

i love this song agood marty

[PanVet100]

First of all I believe the name of this great song was originally SUNDOWN and it was written by Robbins' band mate Bobby Sykes (1928-1994) and I think it first appeared on Robbins' 1976 album, El Paso City. It only later became known as the Ballad of Bill Thaxton. It's obviously written about a Texas ranger as it's set in the gunfighter days of the 19th century. The Arizona bunch formed later and never got the same reputation. That San Saba outfit was confederate militia, not rangers. Adios.

[CJJ51]

@ENACONDOM With a name like that we dont expect anything better from you MARTY is LOVED and Respected World Wide by ALL His Fans We can listen to Him All day N night And start again tomorrow WE are HAPPY thanks to MARTY. This is world wide so you are now an INT IDIOT MR Condom for calling one the GREATEST EVER Boring Go away N Stay away Jackass BRAY For WYL N Killer

[Alseeam2]

why do some others like to put other people down,..ask yourself, could you do better? The man was two-talented,he could play a guitar and tell a story with it,...thats skill....can you do that?,,,Mr.Very Boring

[ENACODNOM]

Most correct title is THE BALLAD OF BILL THAXTON (SUNDOWN) Another EL PASO clone! Robbins was a fine singer with a good voice, but was also very boring at times! I much prefer more agressive type of country singers like Waylon Jennings or Jerry Lee Lewis when they were at their peak!

[melvynthecat]

sir the correct tille is bill thaxton

hope this helps

[zaaritha]

Very good!

[starfish50]

This was the very last song my dear son found that he LOVED just a few months before he died, So this song will always remind me of my dear son who I miss so much.

[worlddargons]

Really good song, my dad used to play it when I was young, do they have it on a CD?

[NiteClerk]

LOL. "The sun didn't bother Bill Thaxter at all, 'cause the old ranger was blind."

[1973slimshady1973]

theres tuns of marty songs i bet he ant heard

[75freeman]

thank you for posting this i have never heard it before & it's a great song...

you just can't beat the old cowboy songs & marty was the best at singing them...

[geena6]

Great post. Marty was a super singer.

Thankyou Peter for sending.

Geena

[Chuck6831]

this song is one of the best cowboy songs ever written and no better man to sing it incredible voice

[starfish50]

This song was my sons favorite,but years before my Fathers favorite was Big Iron: If I am not mistaken both songs are about the same Ranger

[jdmustangman]

I was looking up Bill Thaxton and found something about a Texas Ranger from San Saba by the same name. In Big Iron he states he was an Arizona Ranger. Back in those days Law Enforcement men did bounce around from territory to territory so it is possible. Just thought I'd add that.

[raincloudmusic1]

The title of this tune HAS ALWAYS BEEN "The Ballad of Bill Thaxton".

Marty Robbins rates my Dad's #1 musical hero other than George Younce of "Cathedrals" fame. Dad's done Marty's tunes forever....this among 'em.

Had thi son ein my head for two days. Glad I found it!

[grannydyess]

what album is the texas ranger located on? i have the ballad of bill paxton on the cd set under western skies.

[MickdaRat]

The Ballad Of Bill Thaxtom is based on a true story  Bill Thaxton was in fact a Texas Ranger. The great western writer Zane Gray wrote a novel based on Bill Thaxtons life the name of the book Is " Lone Star Ranger" , however, the name he used was Buck Dwayn. I recomend it highly. Thanks for the posting

[billthaxton]

Let me be the first to thank you for uploading what I would consider to be on the same level of a masterpiece as El Paso. Unfortunately it is lost in obscurity. It is entitled THE BALLAD OF BILL THAXTON for future reference.