Lyrics

AZTEC CAFE

in a border cantina south of the river a gray haired vaquero sits alone
he used to work the cattle on the old broken arrow, a lifetime of hurting tattooed on his soul
see you couldn’t buy an acre on a vaqueros wages, no hope for a family or making a home
but home ain’t a place home is maria, she's up there washing dishes at the aztec cafe

one day the owner of the arrow sat in a corner booth near the doorway of that little cafe
he was a hot tempered man with a quick right hand and a down right dirty way
maria spilled his coffee cup and before she could clean it up he swung his hand across her face
the people stopped and stared as he grabbed her by the hair and that vaquero made his way across the
place
there was nowhere to run when the man grabbed his gun and turned it maria's way
blood hit the floor and ran out the door ran out the door

CHORUS:
that old dirty river is a wall of his prison, no amount of water or razor wire
could keep him away from maria

he said I killed that man before he pulled the trigger on my love my beautiful wife
but there is no justice for an illegal man when he takes a wealthy rancher's life
it's been 5 years since he's seen maria, his love his beautiful wife

in a border cantina ciudad juarez, a gray haired vaquero answers my call
we’ve got a window, see you in el paso, if you slip up you're on your own

CHORUS

he arrives as planned in a one ton van smiles as i give him his pay
he's off to rondo to meet his maria and buy her the key to the aztec cafe
that gray haired vaquero has all he ever wanted adios me amigo i wish you well
now i've got a plan and a white chevy van and 200 pounds to sell