Lyrics:

Carlos Saragosa left his home in Casas Grandes when the moon was full
He had no money in his pocket, just a locket of his sister framed in Gold
He headed for el Sueco, stole a rooster named Gallo Del Cielo
Then he crossed the Rio Grande with that roosted nestled deep within his arm

Galllo del Cielo was a warrior born in heaven so the legends say
His wings they had been broken, he had one eye rollin' crazy in his head
He'd fought a hundred fights and the legends say that one night near El Sueco
He fought Cielo seven times, seven times he left brave roosters dead

Hola my Teresa I'm thinkin' of you now in San Antonio
I have 27 dollars and the good luck of your good luck of your picture framed in gold
Tonight I'll put it all on the fighting spurs of Gallo Del Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land Pancho Villa stole from father long ago

Outside of San Diego in the Onion fields of Paco Monte Verde
The Pride of San Diego lay sleeping on a fancy bed of silk
And they laughed when Saragosa pulled the one-eyed Del Cielo from beneath his shirt
But they cried when Saragosa waked away with a thousand dollar bill

Hola my Teresa I'm thinkin' of you now in Santa Barbara
I have 27 dollars and the good luck of your good luck of your picture framed in gold
Tonight I'll put it all on the fighting spurs of Gallo Del Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land Pancho Villa stole from father long ago

Now the moon has gone to hiding and the lantern light spills shadows on the fighting sand
A wicked black named Zorro faces Del Cielo in the sand
And Carlos Saragosa fears the tiny crack that runs across his roosters beak
And he fears that he has lost the 50, 000 dollars riding on the fight

Hola my Teresa I'm thinkin of you now in Santa Clara
The money's on the table, I'm holding now your good luck framed in gold
Everything we dream of is riding on the spurs of Del Cielo
Then I'll return to buy the land Pancho Villa stole from father long ago

The signal it was given and the roosters rose together far above the sand
Gallo Del Cielo sunk a gaff into Zorro's shiny breast
They were separated quickly but they rose and fought each other time and time again
And the legends all agreed that Gallo Del Cielo fought the best

But then the screams of Saragosa filled the night outside the town of Santa Clara
As the beak of Del Cielo lay broken like a shell within his hand
And they say that Saragosa screamed a curse upon the bones of Pancho Villa
As Zorro rose up one more time and drove Del Cielo in the sand

Hola my Teresa I'm thinkin of you now in San Francisco
I have no money in my pocket I no longer have your good luck framed in gold
I buried it last evening with the bones of my beloved Del Cielo
I will not return to buy the land that Villa stole long ago

Do the rivers still run muddy outside of my beloved Casas Grandes?
Does the scar upon my brother's face turn red when he hears mention of my name?
And do the people of El Sueco still curse the theft of Gallo Del Cielo?
Tell my family not to worry, I will not return to cause them shame.

Is this Elmo & Patsy? 

4 and falling , next time a 3 and falling

this is probably the coolest song i have ever heard... at the very least, the coolest song about a chicken I have ever heard.

 xviti wrote: 
Sólo porque nombra a Zaragoza (la mexicana, claro) se merece un... 2

I hope cock fights don't last this long.

Sounds like Romance in Durango meets Lily Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts

I feel like I need to go swimming in the Rio Grande.

Love, love, love this little story. Playing it full blast in the pick-up truck on our way to the barn, my daughter and I would yell out the story in song to each other...so much fun!

A very witty lil' number! Beautifully done.

There is a reason. Glorifying a cruel barbaric "sport". Substitute the owners and see how they would like it

67nj wrote:

¡La voz suena fatal!

For some reason his yanqui accented Spanish reminds me of that scene in "Might Wind" where the Folksmen sing that song about the Spanish Civil War.

Followed by Cheech and Chong's version of Humo en la agua

Hmm...Interesting...very interesting

Now, THIS is a good tune. SO needs to be followed up by "Pancho and Lefty"

ryuujin23 wrote:I think Johnny Cash sung about the Big House many times.

Oh when will this song please end!?

Sounds like a California geography lesson.

I think this qualifies as the very first song that I have ever heard that make a reference to Casa Grande.

papaman wrote: Whoa. That must've rocked. I gotta keep an eye out for a rerun.

Wha...a cockfighting ballad? I have no idea what to do with this.

I first heard Ely sing this on Austin City Limits when joined Los Lobos on stage. I've loved it ever since.

Joe Ely. What else is there to say? Awesome story and telling. I didn't know Tom Russell wrote it. Learn sumthin' new ever' day. c.

Or, in English, "The Cock of Heaven". I'm just gonna leave that right there.

There just ain't that many cockfighting songs out there, so it makes this an instant classic!

Brother Bill, I appreciate the comment you made one day after playing this tune "my favorite dead chicken song"

Tom Russell's version is far better. It's the original too! But, great story!