[Allen Case, Henry Fonda]
A lonely lawman was he
A frontier fighter for justice
He only had a badge and a gun,
As he rode off into the desert sun
Workin' for little pay or glory
Keepin' the peace in the territory.
Lawless men sought him out
And tried their best to out draw him
He hated killin' but when he drew
His hand was fast and his aim was true
The man called Deputy.
The Dawson Gang robbed the stage
And shot and killed both the drivers
They hit for the border where they'd be free
But they didn't reckon with the Deputy
He picked up their trail after all night riding
Soon found the cabn where they were hidin'.
Called for them to give up
But they came out guns a-blazin'
At the start of the battle it was one against five
When the smoke had cleared only one was alive
The man called Deputy.
A gunman rode into town
His trigger finger a-itchin'
He started off on a shootin' spree
When he ran into the Deputy
Who spoke to him this quiet warning
"Be outa town by tomorrow mornin'."
Next day he was still there
And to the townsfolk was boasting
My gun is the fastest in the West
But before he died he knew who was best.
The man called Deputy.
(Words & music: Jack Marshall)