Wednesday, February 22, 2023

THE EAGLES SOAR IN COFFEYVILLE 

                                           "Doolin-Dalton"

They were duelin', Doolin-Dalton 
High or low, it was the same 
Easy money and faithless women 
Red-eye whiskey for the pain 
Go down, Bill Dalton, it must be God's will, 
Two brothers lyin' dead in Coffeyville 
Two voices call to you from where they stood 
Lay down your law books now 
They're no damn good 
Better keep on movin', Doolin-Dalton 
'Til your shadow sets you free 
If you're fast, and if you're lucky 
You will never see that hangin' tree 

Well, the towns lay out across the dusty plains 
Like graveyards filled with tombstones, waitin' for the names 
And a man could use his back, or use his brains 
But some just went stir crazy, Lord, 'cause nothin' ever changed 
'Til Bill Doolin met Bill Dalton 
He was workin' cheap, just bidin' time 
Then he laughed and said,"I'm goin," 
And so he left that peaceful life behind 
Mm..

Somehow Gary Paxton, who was born in Coffeyville, Kan., overlooked his birth town when finding all other avenues to turn into song. Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Don Henley and Jackson Browne composed this one -- Bryce M.

  Postscript: When our Columbus, Kan., American Legion baseball team traveled to league foe Coffeyville, it surprised me to see that the Condon Bank was still there and still in operation some 70 years after the famous failed bankscapade.