Ringtail

My name is Martin Parmer, you might never heard of me

I was born up in Virginia, made my way to Tennessee

And I ran the mill on Yellow Creek for Montgomery Bell

And I used that steel to kill the Brits in the War of 1812

 

I am the ring-tailed panther, wild wooly, hard to curry

When I’m mad I fight, and when I fight I whoop

 

I drifted on to Missouri where I built myself a home

In the Fishing River Valley where no white man would go

And I raised myself a family and killed myself some b’ars

And made a truce with Sioux except the killer they called Two Hearts

 

Well I heard word of a wilder place down in Mexico

In a land that they called Tejas and I talked my gal to go

Then me and the Edwards brothers and a band of Cherokee

Said we’ll call this place Fredonia, free of Mexican tyranny

 

Well I lost that fight with Mexico and it burned me up inside

And it took the Texians 10 more years to figure I was right

But when the Alamo was lost, I was there at Washington

Declaring Texas freedom from Santa Anna’s guns

 

When Sam Houston won the war, he was on my Isom’s gray

And Sam was born on the day I died, Texas Independence Day

My name is Martin Parmer, let me tell you this my friend

I was born up in Virginia, but I am a Texian

 

My name is Martin Parmer, you might never heard of me

I was born up in Virginia, made my way to Tennessee

Then I drifted on to Missouri where I killed myself some b’ars

Then on down to Texas, where I helped put up that Lone Star

 

Words and Music by George Palmer Macias.

Copyright 2004 by George Macias.

All songs on "Firefly" written and composed by George Palmer Macias except the chorus of "Ringtail" written by Martin Parmer circa 1820.

All rights reserved.  Copyright 2009 by George Palmer Macias.