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Though commonly believed to be a tale about the notorious Mexican outlaw [[Pancho Villa]], Van Zandt claims that is not the case.

Though commonly believed to be a tale about the notorious Mexican outlaw [[Pancho Villa]], Van Zandt claims that is not the case.

The song tells of a criminal duo: Mexican national Pancho and his partner, Lefty, an American.  The chorus mentions that the ''federales'' (Mexican police) repeatedly claim that they could have captured Pancho whenever they wanted, but didn't "out of kindness, I suppose".  Eventually, Pancho is killed by the ''federales'' and Lefty returns to America (unexpectedly coming into a sum of money allowing him to do so; it is implied that Lefty sold out Pancho for reward money, then bribed the ''federales'' into letting him leave Mexico); Lefty is now growing old, living in cheap motels in [[Cleveland]].

The song tells of a criminal duo: Mexican national Pancho and his American partner Lefty.  The chorus mentions that the ''federales'' (Mexican police) repeatedly claim that they could have captured Pancho whenever they wanted, but didn't "out of kindness, I suppose".  Eventually, Pancho is killed by the ''federales'' and Lefty somehow obtains the money to return to America once Pancho is buried; Lefty is now growing old, living in cheap motels in [[Cleveland]].

[[Category:Country Songs]]

[[Category:Country Songs]]