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Pancho And Lefty (4:19)

Cover of Rear View Mirror

From Rear View Mirror and 21 other releases

“Pancho and Lefty” is a folk song written by Townes Van Zandt. Van Zandt first recorded it for his 1972 album, The Late Great Townes Van Zandt. Emmylou Harris then covered the song for her 1977 album, Luxury Liner and the song became a number one country hit in 1983 when Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson adopted it as the title track of their duet album Pancho & Lefty.
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  • walleye1

    His production was pretty much career sabotage. Don't know who did it, but it was awful. To be fair, most country in the 70's was horribly produced though. The kind of thing that made Willie say, "Screw it, I'm spending 35G, using my band, and knocking out Red Headed Stranger in a couple days away from these clowns".

    21 Mar 7:24pm Reply

  • ElRet

    Sometimes I wish Townes Van Zandt would have found better producers. His studio recordings - in my humble opinion - just lack the intensity of the live recordings. I almost always prefer the live version with just the guitar over the studio version.

    26 Aug 2012 Reply

  • cowboyman1

    great ..

    17 Jul 2012 Reply

  • reuelio

    This track (with the intro about the AC being out) is from the album "Townes Van Zandt Live at the Old Quater" recorded in Houston, TX... just in case anyone wants to find this individual recording.

    8 Mar 2012 Reply

  • liam7777

    Townes story re the writing this is song is just as great as the song itself. He & a real long haired friend are stopped by a cop in Texas, neither have a valid drivers license, during the time a religious leader was in the area with many young followers. Townes' friend, who was driving, turns to the cop and asks " Do you know Jesus" and the cop lets them go!

    20 Jan 2012 Reply

  • EatYrGuitar

    @jt354 I think maybe Lefty sold out Pancho to the Feds and that's where he "got the bread" That's why "the dust that Pancho bite down south ended up in Lefty's mouth." Lefty feels guilty for betraying his friend.

    14 Dec 2011 Reply

  • Cloudspotter

    Fine tune. :)

    11 Nov 2011 Reply

  • jt354

    Great song, but I'm not sure I understand the relationship between Pancho and Lefty. Did Lefty kill Pancho, as implicated by "All the federales say, they could have had him any day?" Was he framed, "Save a few for Lefty too," or was he hired by the federales "Where he got the bread to go, there ain't nobody knows?"

    4 Oct 2011 Reply

  • nick_honest

    One of the best songs ever!!!

    21 Aug 2011 Reply

  • semionato

    storytelling genius.

    4 Aug 2011 Reply

  • korotkova001

    +++++++++++++++

    28 Jun 2011 Reply

  • joboeden

    Child hood memories growing up on the dairy......................Pancho and Lefty

    23 Mar 2011 Reply

  • Markpercival1

    fell in love with his songs in Brighton< so much that i gave a copy to a lady in the benifits office.

    14 Mar 2011 Reply

  • starnova

    This guy is brilliant. I love the Martin Simpson cover of this song...

    2 Jan 2011 Reply

  • davinca

    <3 <3 <3

    13 Nov 2010 Reply

  • DropkickJesus2

    Always thought this was Willie's... just recently heard about Townes at a Steve Earle show. Thanks Steve.

    11 Nov 2010 Reply

  • jostfischer

    Now it's possible to order some of his CDs from ozon.ru (Russian internet shop)!

    29 Sep 2010 Reply

  • pocosnoopy

    Just love this song. Love the words. Love the voice.......

    27 Aug 2010 Reply

  • snowdin

    A perfect song. Thanks Townes.

    31 Jul 2010 Reply

  • HKilmaine

    Strangely addictive - I think it improves with each listen!

    9 Jul 2010 Reply
    • All 71 shouts

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