Song 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

Gallo 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 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 coat
But they cried when Saragosa
Walked 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 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
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
And 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

Tom Russell

The duration of Gallo del Cielo is 7:06 minutes and seconds.