El Paso City

"El Paso City" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Marty Robbins. It was released in March 1976 as the first single and title track from the album El Paso City. The song was Robbins' 15th number one on the U.S. country singles chart. The single stayed at number one for two weeks and spent 11 weeks on the chart.[1]

This article is about the Marty Robbins song. For the ghost town formerly known as El Paso City, see Garlock, California. For the U.S. city, see El Paso, Texas.
Not to be confused with the Marty Robbins song El Paso (song).
"El Paso City"
Single by Marty Robbins
from the album El Paso City
B-side"When I'm Gone"
ReleasedMarch 19, 1976
GenreCountry
Length4:20
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Marty Robbins
Producer(s)Billy Sherrill
Marty Robbins singles chronology
"Shotgun Rider"
(1975)		 "El Paso City"
(1976)		 "Among My Souvenirs"
(1976)

Background

Robbins wrote "El Paso City" while flying over El Paso, Texas, in - he reported - the same amount of time it takes to sing, four minutes and 14 seconds. It was only the second time that ever happened to him; the first time was when he composed the original El Paso as fast as he could write it down.

The song is a reworking (and indirect sequel) of Robbins' 1959 hit "El Paso," about a gunfighter who flees for his life after killing another man in a fit of jealousy, but who later returns and is himself shot dead by a posse.

Content

In "El Paso City," the main protagonist is a passenger on an airplane over El Paso and is compelled to recall the song he heard long ago ("El Paso"). He fails to recall the man who sang "El Paso," but immediately senses a supernatural connection to the story. He wonders to himself, "Could it be that I could be the cowboy in this mystery," suggesting a past life.

The arrangement of "El Paso City" includes riffs and themes from "El Paso" and its sequel, "Feleena (From El Paso)".

Chart performance
Chart (1976) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2] 1
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1

Other versions

The Meat Puppets covered the song on their single We Don't Exist (1994).

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References
  1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 294.
  2. "Marty Robbins Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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