Out in New Mexico, many long years ago There in a shack on the desert, one night in a storm Amid streaks of lightnin' and loud desert thunder To a young Mexican couple, a baby was born; Just as the baby cried, thunder and lightnin' died Moon gave it's light to the world and the stars did the same Mother and Father, both proud of the daughter That heaven had sent them, Feleena was this baby's name.
When she was seventeen, bothered by crazy dreams She ran away from the shack and left them to roam Father and Mother, both asked one another What made her run away, what made Feleena leave home; Tired of the desert nights, poverty, grief and strife She ran away late one night in the moon's golden gleam She didn't know where she'd go, but she'd get there And she would find happiness, if she would follow her dream.
After she ran away, she went to Sante Fe And in the year that she stayed there, she learned about life In just a little while, she learned that with a smile She could have pretty clothes, she could be any man's wife; Rich men romanced her, they dined and they danced her She understood men and she treated them all just the same A form that was fine and rare, dark shining glossy hair Lovely to look at Feleena was this woman's name.
Restless in Sante Fe, she had to get away To any town where the lights had a much brighter glow One cowboy mentioned the town of El Paso They never stopped dancin' and money like whiskey did flow; She bought a one-way, a ticket from Sante Fe Three days and nights on a stage with a rest now and then She didn't mind that, she knew she would find that Her new life would be more exciting than where she had been.
The stage made it's last stop, up there on the mountain top To let her see all of the lights at the foot of the hill Her world was brighter and deep down inside her An uncontrolled beating, her young heart just wouldn't be still; She got a hotel, a room at the Lily Belle Quickly she changed to a form-fitting black satin dress Ev'ry man stopped to stare, at this form fine and rare Even the women remarked of the charm she possessed.
Dancin' and laughter, was what she was after And Rosa's Cantina had lights, with love in the gleam That's what she hunted and that's what she wanted Rosa's was one place, a nice girl would never be seen; It was the same way, it was back in Sante Fe Men would make fools of themselves at the thought of romance Rosa took heed of, the place was in need of This kind of excitement, so she paid Feleena to dance.
A year passed and maybe more and then through the swingin' doors Came a young cowboy so tall and so handsomely dressed This one was new in town, hadn't been seen around He was so different, he wasn't like all of the rest; Feleena danced close to him, then threw a rose to him Quickly he walked to her table and there he sat down And in a day or so, wherever folks would go They'd see this young cowboy, showin' Feelena the town.
Six weeks he went with her, each minute spent with her But he was insanely jealous of glances she'd give Inside he was a-hurtin', from all of her flirtin' That was her nature and that was the way that she lived; She flirted one night, it started a gun-fight And after the smoke cleared away, on the floor lay a man Feleena's young lover, had shot down another And he had to leave there, so out through the back door he ran.
The next day at five o'clock, she heard a rifle shot Quickly she ran to the door, that was facin' the pass She saw her cowboy, her wild-ridin' cowboy Low in the saddle, her cowboy was ridin' in fast; She ran to meet him, to kiss and to greet him He saw her and motioned her back, with a wave of his hand Bullets were flyin', Feleena was cryin' As she