The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

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Text and music by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Artist: Gene Pitney
Album: "24 Hours From Tulsa"
Artist: James Taylor
Album: "Why here"
When Liberty Valance rode to town,
the women folk would hide,
they'd hide
When Liberty Valance walked around,
the men would step aside
Because the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
When it came to shooting
straight and fast,
he was mighty good.

From out of the east a stranger came,
a law book in his hand,
a man
The kind of a man the west would need
to tame a troubled land
'Cause the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
When it came to shooting
straight and fast,
he was mighty good.

Many a man would face his gun,
and many a man would fall.
The man who shot Liberty Valance,
he shot Liberty Valance,
He was the bravest of them all.

The love of a girl can make a man
stay on when he should go,
stay on
Just trying to build a peaceful life
where love is free to grow
But the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
When the final showdown
came to pass,
a law book was no good.

Alone and afraid she prayed that he'd
return that fateful night,
ahh that night
When nothing she said could keep
her man from going out to fight
From the moment a girl gets to be full grown,
the very first thing she learns
When two men go out to face each other,
only one returns

Everyone heard two shots ring out,
the shot made Liberty fall
The man who shot Liberty Valance,
he shot Liberty Valance,
he was the bravest of them all.

The man who shot Liberty Valance,
he shot Liberty Valance,
he was the bravest of them all.

When Liberty Valance came to town
the women folk would hide
they'd hide
When Liberty Valance walked around
the men would step aside
Because the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
When it came to shooting
straight and fast
he was mighty good.

From out of the east a stranger came
a law book in his hand
a man
The kind of man the west would need
to ease a troubled land
Because the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
When it came to shooting
straight and fast
he was mighty good

Many a man would face his gun
and many a man would fall
The man who shot Liberty Valance
he shot Liberty Valance
he was the bravest of them all.

Now the love of a woman can make a man
stay on when he should go
stay on
Just trying to build a peaceful life
where love is free to go
But the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
When it came to shooting
straight and fast
he was mighty good.

Alone and afraid she prayed that he'd
return that fateful night
that night
When nothing she said could keep
her man from going out to fight
But the point of a gun
was the only law that Liberty understood
when the final showdown came to pass
a law book was no good.

Out in the sun two shots rang out
the shots made Liberty fall
The man who shot Liberty Valance
he shot Liberty Valance
he was the bravest of them all.

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Last modified 25 October 1998