The Ballad of the Alamo - Frankie Avalon

In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone

There’s a fortress all in ruin that the weeds have overgrown

You may look in vain for crosses and you’ll never see a one

But sometime between the setting and the rising of the sun

You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by;

You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky:

Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more;

Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for

Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis

«Get some volunteers and go — fortify the Alamo.»

Well, the men came from Texas and from old Tennessee

And they joined up with Travis just to fight for the right to be free

Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders

Stood together heel and toe to defend the Alamo

«You may never see your loved ones,» Travis told them that day

«those that want to can leave now, those who’ll fight to the death,

let 'em stay.»

In the sand he drew a line with his army saber

And out of a hundred eighty five, not a soldier crossed the line

With his banners a-dancin' in the dawn’s golden light

Santa Anna came prancin' on a horse that was black as the night

He sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender

Travis answered with a shell and a rousin' rebel yell

Santa Anna turned scarlet;

«Play Degu"ello,» he roared

«I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword.»

One hundred and eighty five holdin' back five thousand

Five days, six days, eight days, ten;

Travis held and held again

Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame

But the troops that were comin' - never came

Twice he charged, then blew recall, and on the fatal third time

Santa Anna breached the wall and he killed them one and all

Now the bugles are silent and there’s rust on each sword

And the small band of soldiers lie asleep in the arms of The Lord

In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone

Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone

And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before

Santa Anna’s guns were blazin' and the cannons used to roar

And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow

And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo…

To the thirteen days of glory at the seige of Alamo