Gunfight at The OK Corral
Royal Phil. Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

O.K. Corral, O.K. Corral
There the outlaw band make their final stand
O.K. Corral

Oh, my dearest one, must I lay down my gun
Or take the chance of losing you forever
Duty calls, my back's against the wall
Have you no kind word to say before I ride away
Awa-a-a-a-a-a-a-y

Your love, your love, I need your love
Keep the flame, let it burn until I return
From the gunfight at O.K. Corral
If the Lord is my friend, we'll meet at the end
Of the gunfight at O.K. Corral

Gunfight at O.K.Corral
Boot Hill, Boot Hill, so cold, so still
There they lay side by side
The killers that died
In the gunfight at O.K. Corral





O.K. Corral
Gunfight at O.K. Corra-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-l

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Gunfight at The OK Corral by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra depict a dramatic and vivid image of the famous shootout that took place on October 26, 1881, in the frontier town of Tombstone, Arizona. The OK Corral was the site of a confrontation between a group of lawmen led by Wyatt Earp and a group of gunmen known as the Cowboys. The outlaws had been causing trouble in the town for months, and the Earp brothers, along with Doc Holliday, decided to put an end to their criminal activities once and for all.


The first verse of the song sets the scene of the shootout, with the outlaw band making their final stand at the OK Corral. The second verse is a conversation between a cowboy and his lover. The cowboy is torn between his duty to protect his town and his love for his girlfriend. He knows that he might not come back from the gunfight alive, and asks for her love and support before he rides away. The chorus expresses the hope that if the Lord is his friend, they will meet again after the gunfight. The final verse describes the aftermath of the shootout, with the killers lying dead next to each other in the Boot Hill cemetery.


Line by Line Meaning

O.K. Corral, O.K. Corral
The location where the final confrontation between the outlaw band and the lawmen occurs.


There the outlaw band make their final stand
The band of outlaws make their last attempt to resist arrest by the lawmen.


Oh, my dearest one, must I lay down my gun
The singer questions whether he should risk his life to uphold his duty as a lawman or spare himself and be with his lover.


Or take the chance of losing you forever
The artist fears that if he dies during the gunfight, he will never be able to see his lover again.


Duty calls, my back's against the wall
The artist feels obligated to participate in the gunfight to maintain order and justice, but is cornered with no other option.


Have you no kind word to say before I ride away
The singer wishes to hear words of comfort from his lover before he heads out to potentially face his death.


Awa-a-a-a-a-a-a-y
The singer rides away from his lover to confront the outlaws at O.K. Corral.


Your love, your love, I need your love
The artist seeks comfort in the thought of his lover's love for him during the gunfight.


Keep the flame, let it burn until I return
The artist asks his lover to keep their love alive until they can reunite after the gunfight.


From the gunfight at O.K. Corral
The artist promises to return to his lover after the gunfight at O.K. Corral.


If the Lord is my friend, we'll meet at the end
The singer hopes that if he dies during the gunfight, he will be reunited with his lover in heaven.


Of the gunfight at O.K. Corral
The gunfight at O.K. Corral is the event that the artist must face and potentially die in.


Gunfight at O.K.Corral
A repeating reminder of the setting and event that the song is about.


Boot Hill, Boot Hill, so cold, so still
The imagery of the gravesite where those who died during the gunfight are buried.


There they lay side by side
The outlaws who fought against the lawmen are buried together.


The killers that died
The outlaws who were killed during the gunfight.


In the gunfight at O.K. Corral
The cause of death for the outlaws was from the gunfight at O.K. Corral.


O.K. Corral
A final reminder of the setting of the song and the location of the gunfight.


Gunfight at O.K. Corra-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-l
A repeating reminder of the main event and theme of the song.




Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DIMITRI TIOMKIN, NED WASHINGTON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions