Gallo Del Cielo
Joe Ely Lyrics

Carlos Saragosa left his home in Casas Grandes
Carlos Saragosa left his hometown of Casas Grandes.

When the moon was full
He left when the moon was full.

He had no money in his pocket
Carlos had no money at all.

Just a locket of his sister framed in Gold
He only had a gold-framed locket that belonged to his sister.

He headed for el Sueco
He headed towards El Sueco.

Stole a rooster named Gallo Del Cielo
He stole a rooster named Gallo Del Cielo.

Then he crossed the Rio Grande
Carlos crossed the Rio Grande with the rooster.

With that roosted nestled deep within his arm
He held the rooster deep within his arm.

Gallo Del Cielo was a warrior born in heaven
Gallo Del Cielo was a legendary warrior born in heaven.

So the legends say
The legend about Gallo Del Cielo was passed through the stories.

His wings they had been broken
Despite his godly birth, the rooster's wings had been broken.

He had one eye rollin crazy in his head
Gallo Del Cielo had a crazy eye rollin in his head.

He'd fought a hundred fights
He had fought a hundred fights.

And the legends say that one night near El Sueco
The legend says that one night close to El Sueco, his location was discovered.

He fought Cielo seven times
Gallo Del Cielo fought a rooster named Cielo seven times.

Seven times he left brave roosters dead
He killed seven roosters with those fights.

Hola my Teresa
Carlos addresses his beloved Teresa.

I'm thinkin of you now in San Antonio
He is thinking of her in San Antonio.

I have 27 dollars
Carlos has 27 dollars.

And the good luck of your picture framed in gold
He has the good luck of her picture which is framed in gold.

Tonight I'll put it all
He will gamble all of it.

On the fighting spurs of Gallo Del Cielo
He will gamble on Gallo Del Cielo's fighting spurs.

Then I'll return to buy the land
If he wins, he plans to return and buy the land.

Pancho Villa stole from father long ago
Pancho Villa robbed his father of the land a long time ago.

Outside of San Diego
He is outside San Diego.

In the Onion fields of Paco Monte Verde
He is in the onion fields of Paco Monte Verde.

The Pride of San Diego
The rooster from San Diego is referred to as the Pride of San Diego.

Lay sleeping on a fancy bed of silk
The rooster from San Diego was sleeping on a fancy bed.

And they laughed when Saragosa
People laughed at him.

Pulled the one-eyed Del Cielo from beneath his coat
He took Gallo Del Cielo out from under his coat.

But they cried when Saragosa
People cried.

Walked away with a thousand dollar bill
He walked away with a thousand dollar bill.

Outside of San Diego
He is outside of San Diego again.

In the Onion fields of Paco Monte Verde
He is in the onion fields of Paco Monte Verde again.

The Pride of San Diego
The rooster from San Diego is referred to as the Pride of San Diego again.

Lay sleeping on a fancy bed of silk
The rooster from San Diego was still sleeping on a fancy bed.

And they laughed when Saragosa
People laughed again.

Pulled the one-eyed Del Cielo from beneath his coat
He again took Gallo Del Cielo out from under his coat.

But they cried when Saragosa
People cried again.

Walked away with a thousand dollar bill
He again walked away with a thousand dollar bill.

Now the moon has gone to hiding
The moon has disappeared.

And the lantern light spills shadows on the fighting sand
Lantern light casts shadows on the fighting sand.

A wicked black named Zorro
The rooster's opponent is referred to as a wicked black named Zorro.

Faces Del Cielo in the sand
Zorro fights Gallo Del Cielo in the sand.

And Carlos Saragosa fears the tiny crack
Carlos is afraid of a tiny crack on his rooster's beak.

That runs across his roosters beak
There is a small crack running across his rooster's beak.

And he fears that he has lost
He is afraid that he has lost the bet.

The 50,000 dollars riding on the fight
There is 50,000 dollars riding on the fight.

The money's on the table
The money for the bet is on the table.

I'm holding now your good luck framed in gold
He still has her picture framed in gold as a good luck charm.

Everything we dream of
He talks about everything they dream of.

Is riding on the spurs of Del Cielo
The outcome of the fight decides everything.

The signal it was given
The signal for the fight was given.

And the roosters rose together far above the sand
Both roosters rose above the sand to fight.

Gallo Del Cielo sunk a gaff into Zorro's shiny breast
Gallo Del Cielo pierced Zorro's shiny breast with a gaff.

They were separated quickly
The roosters were separated quickly.

But they rose and fought each other time and time again
They continued to fight each other repeatedly.

And the legends all agreed
The legends agree unanimously.

That Gallo Del Cielo fought the best
Gallo Del Cielo is evidently the victor of the fight.

But then the screams of Saragosa
Carlos screamed loudly.

Filled the night outside the town of Santa Clara
His screams could be heard in Santa Clara.

As the beak of Del Cielo
Gallo Del Cielo's beak was hurt.

Lay broken like a shell within his hand
His beak was shattered and Carlos held it like a shell.

And they say that Saragosa
People say that Carlos.

Screamed a curse upon the bones of Pancho Villa
Carlos angrily cursed the bones of Pancho Villa.

As Zorro rose up one more time
Zorro got up and continues to fight once more.

And drove Del Cielo in the sand
Zorro defeats Gallo Del Cielo and he falls to the ground.

I have no money in my pocket
He has no money left.

And no longer have your good luck framed in gold
He no longer has her picture framed in gold as a good luck charm.

I buried it last evening
He buried it the previous evening.

With the bones of my beloved Del Cielo
He buried it with the bones of Gallo Del Cielo.

I will not return to buy the land
He decided not to buy the land.

That Villa stole long ago
The land that Pancho Villa stole from his father.

Do the rivers still run muddy
He wonders if the rivers are still muddy.

Outside of my beloved Casas Grandes
He is talking about Casas Grandes.

Does the scar upon my brother's face
His brother has a scar on his face.

Turn red when he hears mention of my name
He wants to know if his name still has an effect on his brother.

And do the people of El Sueco
He wonders about the people of El Sueco.

Still curse the theft of Gallo Del Cielo
He wants to know if they still remember the theft of Gallo Del Cielo.

Tell my family not to worry
He wants someone to tell his family not to worry.

I will not return to cause them shame
He promises not to come back home and cause shame again.