I was sitting in my mother’s car listening to a random Willie Nelson CD when I came across the song “The Ballad of Poncho and Lefty” quite by accident. I knew the song from childhood, not from Nelson’s 1983 rendition, which topped the Country charts, but in the 1977 Emmylou Harris cover, which my parents used to play on the stereo back when we used those black vinyl records. Hearing the song again, I remembered the haunting words, “out of kindness I suppose” and the fact that, back when I was a kid, it wasn’t really clear to me what the song was about. It still wasn’t, actually.
The tune stuck in my head for a couple of days, long enough that I got around to googling it. I discovered that the songwriter, Townes Van Zandt, was a Fort Worthian born March 7, 1944 into an old local family that could brag of oil wealth.
The song is an enigmatic one that has several blog posts out there debating its meaning. Initially people often think that it is simply the story of the death of the famous bandit Pancho Villa, killed by the Federales in 1916. But the song becomes more complex as you listen more closely. In the beginning, the singer tells someone (himself?) that “living on the road my friend, was gonna keep you free and clean.” The song continues to Poncho’s death then switches to another character, Lefty, who runs away to Ohio.
Many who listen to the song believe that Poncho and Lefty were friends, and that Lefty sold Poncho out to the Federales. I don’t completely agree with this, after studying the lyrics, copying them by hand onto a sheet of lined paper, playing the song on my guitar and reading up on Townes Van Zandt’s biography. It looks more to me like the character of Lefty was a singer (“he couldn’t sing the blues all night long like he used to do”) who is washed up and dying slowly in a cheap hotel instead of spectacularly being shot in the Mexican desert, the end that Poncho had. Seen this way, Lefty was someone who dreamed about Poncho’s death and mourned about his own obscurity. The song becomes a meditation on the workings of fate. At the end, we are told to pray for Poncho, “but say a prayer for Lefty too, he only did what he had to do.” What he had to do could have been, as some say, selling Poncho out, but it may have been as simple as a long, unsung demise.
Emmylou Harris, speaking of the song, said she’s was going to play “a little Townes Van Zandt, only there isn’t any such thing as a little Townes Van Zandt, everything he did was a lot.” Van Zandt’s refusal to elaborate on the song’s meaning may be because it ws deeply personal or it didn’t make sense to him either, but the power of the lyrics and melody, which work together to enhance the feeling of loneliness and langsyne, are effective whether you think you understand it or not.
Here’s a music video of the song by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, which follows the “traditional” interpretation of the song.
Here is Townes Van Zandt singing the song in a nightclub in 1993. Note: there are several small lyrics changes from the Nelson/Haggard version.
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I too have given this song a lot of thought and have never seen a matching video until I was organizing my fav music on the new computer. FWIW, my take is the major character of the whole song is Lefty, who leaves home to live on the road as a singer and becomes a confidant of Pancho or someone close to Pancho, so much that as Lefty’s own fortunes fell, he was able to sell out Pancho for his thirty pieces of silver (where he got the bread to go, there aint nobody knows) but I don’t think he was at the scene when Pancho got popped like it shows in the video. Lefty lives out his life with the guilt of snitching, ending up in a cheap hotel in Cleveland. The last part of the video was what I thought the scene would be, but not a bar, at a police station, with the retired Federales regaling the new kids with the story. Got here by googling. Thanks for the heads up on the author. I never went that deep before now, I just thought it would make a kick-ass video. I like songs that really tell stories. Thanks for your post.
[...] (Khleber Miller) Van Zandt was the great great grandfather of singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, profiled in this blog a couple of weeks ago. The elderVan Zandt (1836-1930) was born in Tennessee and came to Texas three years later. He [...]
I thougt it might be lefty dizz or lefty frizell. But just recently another lefty died who may have been him – lifespan alittle longer than lefty dizz.
almost forgot -
Townes Van Zandt – Pancho & Lefty 1993 TV Performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtzgwNDZAs4
Thanks for the link. I put it into the post under the Nelson/Jennings version, and yes, I was moved again by the mystery, especially since there are several slight changes in the lyrics with this later work. I will have to investigate/muse over this.
Sonja
great song. that’s not waylon jennings; it’s merle haggard with Willie.
the proposed meanings of this song are totally different from the understanding I developed by listening to it – I don’t know if I’m crazy, but I always took it to mean that Lefty was an American who came down to hunt Pancho – He killed him where the Federales refused to. They said they could have but they didn’t. I took the line about dust that Pancho bit ending up in Lefty’s mouth to mean that Lefty was following him. He killed him, got paid and then went back up north. The day they buried Pancho was the day Lefty left. It’s unusual to ask for prayers for the killer – that’s why Van Zandt reminds us to save a few for Lefty too.
poncho and lefty were identical twins.
werent his mothers only so but the favourite one means that poncho had a brother – probably lefty
poncho met his match one day means lefty was his identical brother
the dust that poncho bit etc means I think that poncho killed lefty , assumed his identity and fled.
he cant sing the blues anymore cause he is not lefty he is poncho masquerading as lefty.
thats why we say prayers for lefty – he is the dead one
The story of Poncho and Lefty is not about any of those stories mentioned above. Instead it is about Poncho and his friend, Lefty, who may or may not be related to Poncho, and what had to happen as the end for Poncho grew near. Lefty was a Villa sympathizer. What he only did was what Poncho wanted. I know because my grandfather I believe was Lefty and the story that he told is pretty convincing that he indeed was Lefty. As I heard about the story growing up, the song Poncho and Lefty was something neither he, my Dad or I even knew about. It was not until my Dad passed away in 2005 that I heard the song and finally put it all together. If anyone is interesed in the whole story I can provide a pretty convincing story that would make for a great book and/or movie.
I think that would ruin the song. I mean no disrepect to you or your to your Father but ALL those stories ARE the esence of what makes the song really great, not any perceived notiriety…that’s just a nice tune for you and another movie for all of us.
I think I’ve got this figured out, but it didn’t come to me until I just heard Townes’ rendition of his own song above.
He can’t sing. Not really, and I mean when he was younger too. That’s the key. The song is entirely about him and self-doubts about his own career. There’s plenty of great singers with imperfect voices, but he shied away from living up to his potential. Self-defeat and being a semi-recluse were preferable to really trying to be like Elvis and failing.
If you wiki the song, the article surmises that the song was written about him, based on his own comments and tendencies. I think Towne’s explanation notwithstanding, both Pancho and Lefty are two sides of himself: his fondest musical dreams and his adult career reality.
Many songwriters wish that they were successful singers as well. As great a songwriter/musician as he is, he isn’t a superstar. Pancho represents his dreams of youth in Montana; Lefty the reality of his career — successful but leaving him empty.
The federales represent music industry executives, his agents, producers, or the industry as a whole. They could have cut him quick, but were always letting him down relatively easy, or building him up, and he ‘thinks’ he knows it. Some people never believe in the accolades they receive, or the praise isn’t as great as they were privately hoping for.
Townes created and used Lefty to kill off Pancho in a form of career suicide, selling himself out and assuming the persona of Lefty thereafter. But he’s still left with the haunting memories of his childhood dreams, and how they died. He did it to himself before others did it for him. And he did make some money along the way. But it’s not what he really wanted, deep down.
Again, Townes Van Zandt was a great success, but even the most successful among us can still have doubts, regrets, and question one’s own self-worth. He’s was just too shy, demure, and self-conscious to admit it. Thus, a “You’re So Vain” kinda lyrical mystery.
Thank you, very thoughtful — the song as the two halves of Townes himself. The artistic temperment is nothing if not self-critical and yearning for more than is humanly possible.
I have listened to this song & to make it as simple as possible I believe that lefty robbed & killed pancho which is why he can’t sing like he used tol the dirt that pancho bit was hard to swallow cause lefty had a herd time living with himself
Mark, you are not alone. I am totally on board with your 28/11/2009 commnets about this song. I always took it the same way.
I always thought that, yes, lefty sold out Poncho and killed him for the money – it’s where “and where he got the bread to go, oh, ain’t nobody knows” line comes from.
More importantly, it’s way cool how many times Townes shows up in the Willie and Merle video, you could tell they had great respect for him.
Townes is in the Willie and Merle video? I’ve got to watch that again, I didn’t notice.
Thanks for the heads up!
The line, “The dust that Pancho bit down South ended up in Lefty’s mouth” always sounded like maybe the relationship was a bit…closer…than just riding buddies. (Brokeback Pancho, anyone?) Though I always interpreted the story to be that Pancho’s outlaw life finally caught up with him and Lefty was there soon after he died, only to be put in the position of having to take Pancho’s money to escape and move to Ohio. Since Townes was into herion, it’s not inconceivable that he might have experienced something similar if a buddy overdosed, and been forced to take their money to get out of town. Not something one brags about unless it’s encoded in a song lyric…
Stan, unless your grandmothers name was Enis, then Lefty is not your grandfather. He was a relative of mine. He moved to Youngstown, OH area not Cleveland.
I don’t know what you people are looking at but the vocal and video is Merle Haggard, Not
Waylon Jennings
All right I checked and you are correct … I will fix it ASAP
Thanks for the heads up.
I like all of the answers on here but I have my own opinion that is really close to to Bruce’s comment. I never really thought of them being twins but the same person. I have since I was a kid thought it was a story about a outlaw who left Mexico (maybe on the run)and had a little help from a few corrupt federalies in order to escape. and assumed a new identity as Lefty. It’s kinda like the Jessie James legend in the fact James wasn’t really killed but lived out his life with an assumed identity in Missouri or Arkansas. Just my theory…. That’s what makes a good song, a legend.
Pancho was a well known bandit who organized an army for the rebellion. Lefty was an American mercenary (soldier for hire)they met and became very good friends. Pancho never stopped being a bandit. When he took over a city like Juarez and when he and Zapata captured Mexico City, they would sack the cities of gold, silver, jewels and the like from the Royals and the rich. Pancho needed an ally he could trust. Lefty was his trusted best friend. When Obregon defeated Pancho and Zapata at Mexico City. Obregon knew that the people thought of Pancho as a Revolutionary Hero and he did not dare hang him or put him in front of a firing squad.Obregon knew if Pancho became dissatisfied with his govering,he was capable of raising a huge army in a matter of days. Obregon started a land redistribution program and to gain favor with the people, he awarded Pancho a land grant. This pacified the people and Obregon hired an assassin to kill Pancho. Lefty fearing that he would be next because of his relationship with Pancho, took as much loot as he could carry, from one of the caches he and Pancho had shared knowledge of and headed north. You can rest assured that Obregon killed the person who assassinated
Pancho Villa, he could not risk being found out that it was he who ordered the hit. Two other things Townes mentions
(not your mama’s only boy,but, her favorite one). He had siblings, being a bandit he helped her with expenses as well as some other peasant families.(the dust that ended up in Lefty’s mouth) Pancho was a leader, Lefty followed him because he was a bandit first and they had cached a lot of loot from the revolutions all over Mexico and south Texas,the leader stirred up a lot of dust, the guy right behind him is going to get some of it in his mouth.
I’ve rediscovered this song. I think the favorite son in the first verse was a drug addict/and or alcoholic who left home to live free and clean, but he failed as his mother knew he would. He slipped into his drug induced dreams and they were of Pancho and Lefty. Beautifully sad imagery of both characters.
That’s a good point — the “slipped into your dreams” passage could introduce a dream sequence. Thanks for the comment.
Stan Mejia…. if you’re still around, please email me, I’d be really interested in hearing your grandfather’s story. I’m thinking about a Pancho Villa script and it would be extremely helpful to hear it! beverley@whitedogseminars.com – thank you!
The key phrase “All the Federales say We could have had him any day. We only let him slip away Out of kindness, I suppose”
is the key to all …our time on earth and our last breath is unknown,and we each must live every moment as if it is our last
My take, Pancho is Lefty. Huge conspiracy invloved to assinate him by Obregon and Calles (who would oppose Villa in the next Presidnetial Election), was really a conspiracy to make people believe he was assisnated. Villa had a granduer life as a famous general of the mexican revolution, and he had a sad and lonely life as the exile Lefty. He could no longer sing loudly the political views (blues) he had once done as the general, but mst shrink into obscuirty as Lefty, a down and out musician in Ohio, this was “what he had to do” to save his life or those of his family and followers. I like this version, it seems more romantic. I think mexico was very corrupt then (still today) and while Obregon and Calles had reasons to quickly off Villa, it just wasn’t that simple a task to pull off, it was easier to buy him off with money, “where he got the cash, nobody knows,” and grant amnesty to all his family and followers. Yes, he alredy had amnesty, but that all changed and Obregon had to change the conditions of the agreement, once the people started asking for Villa to run for president, something Obregon and Calles were not going to let happen. This was the arrangement, and poor Villa now is growing old in Cleveland, Ohio. Say from prayers for Villa, but don;t forget to say some for Lefty too…..