The old gunfighter stood on the porch
and stared into the sun 
And relived all the old days
back when he was livin' by the gun 
When deadly games of pride were played
and livin' was mistakes not made 
And the thought of the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
The thought of the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

And it's always keep your back to the sun 
And you can almost feel the weight of that gun 
It's faster than snakes or a blink of the eye 
And it's a time for all slow men to die 
His eyes get squinty and he's straight as a log 
and he empties his gun at the dirty dog 
And he's hit by the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
Hit by the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

Now the burn of a bullet is only a scar 
And he's back in his chair in front of a bar 
And the streets are empty and the blood's all dried 
The dead are dust and the whiskey's inside 
So buy him a drink and lend him an ear 
He's nobody's fool and he's the only one here 
Who remembers the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
Remembers the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

Said I stood in that street before it was paved 
I learned to shoot or be shot before I could shave 
And I did it all for the money and the fame 
Noble was nothing but feelin' no shame 
And nothing was sacred but stayin' alive 
And all that I learned from a Colt .45 
Was to cuss the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
Cuss the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 

Now he's just an old man that nobody believes 
Says he's a gunfighter the last of this breed 
And there's ghosts in the street seekin' revenge 
Callin' him out to the lunatic fringe 
He's out in the traffic now checking the sun 
And he's killed by a car as he goes for his gun 
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke 
So much for the smell of the black powder smoke 
And the stand in the street at the turn of a joke