And they joined up with Travis just to fight for the right to be free
Santa Anna breached the wall and he killed them one and all
In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone
In the sand he drew a line with his army sabre
Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders
Santa Anna turned scarlet, "Play Degüello," he roared
"Get some volunteers and go fortify the Alamo"
You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a one
But sometime between the setting and the rising of the sun
Twice he charged, then blew recall. On the fatal third time
Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone
Now the bugles are silent and there's rust on each sword
Out of a hundred eighty five, not a soldier crossed the line
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for
Well, the men came from Texas and from old Tennessee
You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by
"You may never see your loved ones," Travis told them that day
Santa Anna came prancin' on a horse that was black as the night
And the small band of soldiers lie asleep in the arms of the Lord
With his banners a-dancin' in the dawn's golden light
And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo
You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky
One hundred and eighty five holdin' back five thousand
But the troops that were comin' never came, never came, never came
Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis
"I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword"
And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow
Travis answered with a shell and a rousin' rebel yell
He sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender
"Those that want to can leave now, those who'll fight to the death
Let 'em stay"
Five days, six days, eight days, ten; Travis held and held again
And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before
Santa Anna's guns were blazin' and the cannons used to roar
Stood together heel and toe to defend the Alamo
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame
