[Verse 1]
He rode in at sundown
Coat torn, eyes cold
Deck of cards in his pocket
Names nobody told
Whiskey on his breath
Bible in his hand
Said, “I made a deal in the dust
Now I’m hunted by this land”
[Chorus]
Gunsmoke on the lonely road
Devil riding hard behind
You wanna be a legend, son
You gotta leave some souls behind
Every cross on a hill you pass
Got a story tied to your name
Gunsmoke on the lonely road
You trade your heart to keep your aim
[Verse 2]
He faced that black-hat stranger
At the edge of town
Shadow long as judgement
Boot heels digging down
The church bell started ringing
Before the first shot sang
And somewhere in the canyon
You could hear the angels hang
[Chorus]
Gunsmoke on the lonely road
Devil riding hard behind
You wanna be a legend, son
You gotta leave some souls behind
Every face in the crowd you save
Leaves another in the flame
Gunsmoke on the lonely road
You trade your heart to keep your aim
[Bridge]
He said, “I don’t miss, I don’t fall (oh no)
But I ain’t slept in years at all
Every outlaw that I lay low
Sits at my table when the cold wind blows”
Devil laughed, “Boy, you’re mine
Every bullet bought in blood and time”
[Chorus]
Gunsmoke on the lonely road
Devil riding hard behind
You wanna be a legend, son
You gotta leave some souls behind
When the campfire’s burning low
And you count the scars and wine
Gunsmoke on the lonely road
Is all that’s waiting at the end of the line