| Down near the village of old San Miguel
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| In a far away place by the sea
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| Lived Maria Consuela Manuel
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| A lady of high born degree
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| And she was sixteen a proud woman child
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| And I was a cowboy rambunctious and wild
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| But we fell in love by the tall mission bell
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| That stands in the village of old San Miguel
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| Her father was master of all he surveyed
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| As rich as a king on his throne
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| When he found out about us he flew into a rage
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| And told me to leave her alone
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| He threatened my life and told all his man
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| This gringo must never see Maria again
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| But I found a way and I sent her a note
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| And I still remember all the words that I wrote
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| Meet me Maria in the cool of the evening
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| We’ll slip away into the night
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| We’ll cross the border at Nuevo Laredo
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| And together we’ll start a new life
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| There’s nothing here but heartaches and tears
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| And I don’t even feel like a man
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| I’ll saddle the horses and wait by the old Spanish trail
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| We’ll leave our troubles behind us in old San Miguel
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| She slipped out of the shadows and into my arms
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| As the clock in the village struck ten
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| We crept through the alleys to the north side of town
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| And rode into the night like the wind
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| A full moon was shining the desert was still
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| Then I saw the vacaros riding over the hill
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| The rifle shots rang out the horses went down
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| And I saw Maria lying still on the ground
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| I knew the bullets had been meant for me
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| And the riders were coming on fast
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| As I held her I knew by the look in her eyes
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| That she’d soon be breathing her last
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| I whispered a prayer to heaven above
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| Cause the good Lord has mercy on people in love
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| Then she closed her eyes forever more
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| Via condios adios mi amore
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| Meet me Maria in the cool of the evening |