Crouch End Festival Chorus was founded in 1984 and has become one of the UK… Read Full Bio ↴Crouch End Festival Chorus was founded in 1984 and has become one of the UK's leading large choirs, with up to 150 singers on its books. It is independent and promotes its own series of concerts, in the Barbican and other major London concert halls, as well as small venues closer to the Chorus's north London home turf.

In 2008 the Chorus also performs its 5th BBC Proms concert - Verdi's Requiem on 31 August. Other recent engagements include performances with The Kinks' Ray davies at the Electric Proms and at Hampton Court Festival, and recordings for the Prince Caspian soundtrack and albums by Alfie Boe, Travis, Jonathan Ansell and Katherine Jenkins.

CEFC's conductor and co-founder is David Temple.

The Mission
Crouch End Festival Chorus Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the southern part of Texas, east and west of El Paso
Where the mighty Franklin Mountains guard the trail to Mexico
There's a new made widow crying and a hearse a-rolling slow
And I guess that Devil's passed this way again

There's a lathered Sorrel Stallion running through the Joshua Trees
A young man in the saddle with his coat tails in the breeze
Got a six gun on his right hip and a rifle at his knee

And he's dealing in a game that he can't win

Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one
Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun
Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell
Well, you're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell

Them fancy clothes you're wearing and the women in your bed
Can't take away the faces of the men that you left dead
As you ride across the badlands with a price upon your head
Now that wheel or fortune starts to turn

Your reputation's grown 'til it's the biggest in the land
And there ain't a lot of people left who wanna call your hand
And I guess you go down shooting, just like all branded men
And when you shake hands with the Devil, you get burned

Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one
Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun
Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell
You're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell

Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one
Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun

Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell
You're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Crouch End Festival Chorus's song "The Mission" tell the story of the infamous outlaw, Billy the Kid, who was also known as William H. Bonney. The song describes the setting of the southern part of Texas, east and west of El Paso, where the Franklin Mountains protect the trail to Mexico. The verses go on to describe Billy's life as a fugitive and outlaw, riding through the badlands with a price on his head. The chorus repeats the fact that Pat Garrett, the man who is after him, has his name on every bullet in his gun.

The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of Billy's life and how he became one of the most notorious outlaws of the American Old West. It also highlights the fact that his reputation grew as his crimes continued to garner attention. The lyrics of the song suggest that despite his reputation, Billy was living on borrowed time, and as the chorus reminds us, "When you shake hands with the Devil, you get burned."

Overall, the lyrics to "The Mission" are introspective and thought-provoking. They tell the story of a life that was both violent and tragic, and they paint a picture of a man who was both feared and respected. The song's haunting melody and soulful harmonies add a poignant touch to the lyrics, making this piece of music one that will stay with the listener long after the final note is played.

Line by Line Meaning

In the southern part of Texas, east and west of El Paso Where the mighty Franklin Mountains guard the trail to Mexico There's a new made widow crying and a hearse a-rolling slow And I guess that Devil's passed this way again
In a region of Texas, flanking El Paso from East and West, there lies a path to Mexico guarded by towering Franklin crest. A grieving widow in procession with a hearse that moves too slow. Looks like the Devil has made his presence known, oh no!

There's a lathered Sorrel Stallion running through the Joshua Trees A young man in the saddle with his coat tails in the breeze Got a six gun on his right hip and a rifle at his knee And he's dealing in a game that he can't win
A wild stallion races through the Joshua trees, hot with sweat. A young sitting rider's coat tails flutter in the wind's high bet. His belt holds a six gun, right leg rests a rifle, so it seems He's playing a deadly game, which he'll lose like in most of his dreams.

Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell Well, you're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell
Poor Billy Bonney, you're too young to die and face what's in store. Pat Garrett's after you with bullets, each one bearing your name and score. The notches on your guns tell the stories of your victims that fell. You might be a step ahead of Garrett, but death awaits you-- a step outside of Hell.

Them fancy clothes you're wearing and the women in your bed Can't take away the faces of the men that you left dead As you ride across the badlands with a price upon your head Now that wheel or fortune starts to turn
No fancy clothes or women you lay with can absolve the bloody smear of lives that you took while crossing the badlands, fueling public fear. You've got a price on your head and the wheel might've spun away from your win. The law will soon catch up to you, your past is full of sin.

Your reputation's grown 'til it's the biggest in the land And there ain't a lot of people left who wanna call your hand And I guess you go down shooting, just like all branded men And when you shake hands with the Devil, you get burned
Your reputation precedes you, it's a legend spread wide and far There are few brave or foolish enough to challenge the infamous star. You'll fight to the last, like all outlaws before you when they met their end. But when you make a deal with the Devil, you only end up burned in the end.

Poor Billy Bonney, you're only twenty one Pat Garrett's got your name on every bullet in his gun Each notch you carved on your six guns, got a bloody tale to tell You're a mile ahead of Garrett and a step outside of Hell
Poor Billy Bonney, your life is about to come to an end Pat Garrett's on your trail, his guns armed with bullets that only attend To carry your name and the tales you left carved on your six-gun shells You might be a step outside hell, but soon you'll be in the Devil's knell.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, MIKE CURB MUSIC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BILLY H. DEAN, PAUL NELSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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