Pancho and Lefty
Gaga, Ruston, Forrest, and Pancho and Lefty
Living on the road, my friend
Was gonna keep you free and clean
Now you wear your skin like iron
Your breath's as hard as kerosene
You weren't your mama's only boy
But her favorite one, it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams
—Pancho and Lefty, Townes Van Zandt
For this week’s Bonus Track, our very own Mat Alexander offers a fresh look at one of country’s GOAT tracks. Today’s edition is a vintage SWAP—no theme. No well-thought-out song selections. Like we did in January of 2023, just let it rip and see what happens…
Kody’s Pick: Abracadabra by Lady Gaga
Stefani Germanotta mumbling stuff, singing in a dead language, and mentioning a phantom on the dance floor—sign me up! Play some Gaga and, abracadabra, you’ve got a dance party.
Ben’s Pick: Cover of Avril Lavigne’s Complicated by Ruston Kelly (feat. Annie DiRusso)
I was in college when Avril Lavigne dropped this hit tune. I think I first heard it at Young Life camp (I was a leader), and the kids loved it. When Ruston dropped his recent cover of the song, I still got the feels from high schoolers releasing all that inner angst and insecurity at the top of their lungs. Another music-possesses-power moment. Ruston and Annie do it justice.
Jonathan’s Pick: Always by Forrest Frank
I had never heard of this guy until this past Christmas when my daughter Stella asked for a sweatshirt with his latest album title, Child of God, on it. I like to check out the music my kids listen to, and while Forrest Frank won’t be in my permanent rotation, he has a bunch of catchy pop/rap tunes. As I write this, my wife and two of my girls are on the way home from his concert, where my wife says they were “getting down.” I love that my kids enjoy live music.
Bonus Track: Weren’t your mama’s only boy? By Mat Alexander
A while back, I became enamored with the song "Pancho and Lefty" by Townes Van Zandt. It’s one of the best examples of the kind of songwriting I love—a meaningful story that says a lot without saying everything. I love a tight economy of language, a great turn of phrase, and a story that is moving. "Pancho and Lefty" unquestionably fits the bill.
However, somewhere along the line, I started to wonder if there was even more to this classic song. What if Pancho and Lefty are not just friends or partners in crime—but brothers?
Lefty plays such a crucial role in the song, but I found it strange that at first glance there seems to be no mention of him at all in the first verse. If Lefty were Pancho's partner in crime, wouldn’t he be mentioned in those early lyrics lauding Pancho’s escapades?
However, I believe Lefty is actually alluded to:
Weren't your mama's only boy
But her favorite one it seems
She began to cry when you said goodbye
And sank into your dreams
The mother’s sadness at Pancho’s leaving, coupled with the verse’s edge of resentment over the fact that Pancho’s life “on the road” hasn’t brought freedom but hardship, makes me think Lefty is a kind of “older brother” figure—one who resents what the prodigal son has done to the family. Their mother’s grief over losing her favorite son has hardened into bitterness in Lefty.
As the song progresses, we learn that somehow, Pancho got caught and died alone, presumably at the hands of the Federales. Yet the chorus makes it clear that Pancho was not outwitted by his pursuers. I don't think the narrator is Lefty, but I do think his perspective reflects Lefty's to some degree. The acerbic mocking of the Federales reveals the fact that Lefty still idolizes his outlaw brother:
All the Federales say
They could have had him any day
They only let him slip away
Out of kindness, I suppose
From there, the narrative turns to Lefty's betrayal. Lefty is depressed and can't sing like he used to because the "dust that Pancho bit down south ended up in Lefty's mouth." (Another brilliant turn of phrase that makes this song a masterpiece!) In fact, on the day Pancho died, Lefty fled to Ohio:
Where he got the bread to go
There ain't nobody knows
The implication, of course, is that Lefty betrayed his brother for blood money from the Federales.
And yet, Lefty still cannot get out of his brother's shadow. Even in death, the "poets" still sing of Pancho's reputation. Ironically, Lefty, who cannot even sing the blues anymore, has to hear these songs while he's living in "cheap hotels." The bitterness of betrayal is compounded by the fact that he did not even receive enough money to do more than subsist. One of the most poignant lines of the song captures the tragedy of Pancho's death and Lefty's betrayal:
"The desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold."
But the last verse is unquestionably the saddest. It's a picture of Lefty's life now: living far from his warm home, with no family, and dwelling on what his own bitterness has cost him:
Pancho needs your prayers it's true
But save a few for Lefty too
He only did what he had to do
And now he's growing old
At one time, I am sure it would have seemed like these two brothers would have lived long lives enjoying the blessings of life together. Instead, Lefty is growing old alone.
The depth of the guilt of betrayal that Lefty is experiencing might make sense if they had been partners in crime or close friends, but there's really no evidence supporting those relationships. Perhaps the reference to Lefty singing the blues means he worked at a saloon that Pancho frequented. Again, the depth of guilt that he is experiencing does not seem to reflect that sort of casual relationship. Instead, Lefty's sorrow seems to be best explained by the fact that Pancho and Lefty were brothers.
This is the sort of thing that makes a great song fun for me. I enjoy trying to get to the bottom of what the songwriter is saying. On purpose, I have done virtually no research on this theory. For all I know, there’s an interview out there where Townes totally obliterates this theory. But this is also what makes the Music Swap fun! Tell us what you think!
Mat Alexander is a pastor in Gadsden, AL. He has a dog named after a Grateful Dead song (Althea). If he’s not at the church or spending time with his family, you can probably find him on the golf course with a great playlist going in the background.
What’s your take on Pancho and Lefty? We’d love to hear from you! Also, there are some great covers of the original out there, namely the version from Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. Isbell has one, too!
-TheMusicSwap
I’ve never considered this angle on P&L. Love it!