About The Song
“Ballad of the Alamo” is a song written and recorded by Marty Robbins and released as a single in late 1959. The recording was issued by Columbia Records and later included on Robbins’s album More Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs in 1960. The song arrived shortly after the success of “El Paso” and further established Robbins as a leading interpreter of historical and narrative western material.
Marty Robbins wrote “Ballad of the Alamo” after becoming interested in the history of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, a defining event in the Texas Revolution. Rather than focusing on romantic fiction, Robbins approached the subject as a historical narrative, aiming to summarize the event in song form. His intent was to honor the defenders of the Alamo and present the story in a straightforward, respectful manner that would be accessible to a wide audience.
Lyrically, the song recounts the siege and fall of the Alamo from the perspective of the defenders. Robbins references key historical figures such as William B. Travis, James Bowie, and Davy Crockett, and emphasizes themes of sacrifice, bravery, and resistance against overwhelming odds. The narrative unfolds chronologically, functioning almost like a musical history lesson, with clear language and minimal embellishment to maintain factual clarity.
Musically, “Ballad of the Alamo” is structured as a stately, mid-tempo ballad. The arrangement is restrained, built around acoustic guitar, subtle percussion, and understated orchestral accents that support the gravity of the subject matter. Robbins’s vocal delivery is calm and authoritative, allowing the story to remain the focal point. The melody is simple and deliberate, reinforcing the song’s documentary-like tone.
The single achieved significant commercial success. “Ballad of the Alamo” reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1960 and also crossed over to the pop market, reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Its chart performance demonstrated that historically themed narrative songs could achieve mainstream popularity alongside more conventional country and pop releases.
The song also played an important role in shaping Robbins’s public image. Along with “El Paso” and other western ballads, it reinforced his association with long-form storytelling and historical subject matter. Robbins became widely recognized as an artist capable of turning complex narratives into concise, engaging recordings without sacrificing clarity or emotional weight.
In retrospect, “Ballad of the Alamo” is regarded as one of Marty Robbins’s signature historical recordings. It remains a staple on compilations of his work and is frequently referenced in discussions of narrative country music. The song stands as a clear example of Robbins’s ability to blend history, storytelling, and accessible melody, securing its place as a lasting contribution to the country and western canon.
Video
Lyric
In the southern part of Texas
In the town of San Antone
There’s a fortress all in ruins that the weeds have overgrown
You may look in vain for crosses and you’ll never see a-one
But sometimes between the setting and the rising of the sun
You can hear a ghostly bugle
As the men go marching by
You can hear them as they answer
To that roll call in the sky.
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett, and a hundred eighty more
Captain Dickinson, Jim Bowie
Present and accounted for.
Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis
“Get some volunteers and go
Fortify the Alamo.”
Well the men came from Texas
And from old Tennessee
And they joined up with Travis
Just to fight for the right to be free.
Indian scouts with squirrel guns
Men with muzzle-loaders
Stood together, heel and toe
To defend the Alamo.
“You may ne’er see your loved ones, ”
Travis told them that day
“Those who want to can leave now
Those who fight to the death let ’em stay.”
In the sand he drew a line
With his army sabre
Out of a hundred eighty five
Not a soldier crossed the line
With his banners a-dancin’
In the dawn’s golden light
Santa Anna came prancing
On a horse that was black as the night.
Sent an officer to tell
Travis to surrender
Travis answered with a shell
And a rousing rebel yell
Santa Anna turned scarlet
“Play deguello!” he roared
“I will show them no quarter
Every one will be put to the sword!”
One hundred and eighty five
Holding back five thousand
Five days, six days, eight days, ten
Travis held and held again
Then he sent for replacements
For his wounded and lame
But the troops that were coming
Never came, never came, never came…
Twice he charged and blew recall
On the fatal third time
Santa Anna breached the wall
And he killed ’em, one and all
Now the bugles are silent
And there’s rust on each sword
And the small band of soldiers…
Lie asleep in the arms of the Lord…
In the southern part of Texas
Near the town of San Antone
Like a statue on his pinto rides a cowboy all alone
And he sees the cattle grazing where a century before
Santa Anna’s guns were blazing and the cannons used to roar
And his eyes turn sorta misty
And his heart begins to glow
And he takes his hat off slowly…
To the men of Alamo.
To the thirteen days of glory
At the siege of Alamo…