Big Iron

1960 single by Marty Robbins

"Big Iron" is a country ballad song written and performed by Marty Robbins. Originally released as an album track on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs in September 1959, it was released as a single in February 1960 with the song "Saddle Tramp" as the B-side single.^[2] In 2010, members of the Western Writers of America chose it as the 11th best Western song of all time.^[3]

The song follows the story of an Arizona Ranger's duel with a 24-year-old outlaw named Texas Red. Taking place in the "town of Agua Fria",^[a] the townspeople predict the death of the ranger. Texas Red having already killed 20 men, is beaten in a duel due to the speed of the ranger, and the titular "big iron" gun.

The song reached number 5 on the Billboard Country chart and number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1960.^[4] The B-side, "Saddle Tramp" was not included on Gunfighter Ballads,^[2] but was later placed on Robbins' 1966 LP The Drifter.^[5]

"Big Iron" is featured in the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas on the in-game radio station. The success of the game helped spur a revival of interest in Robbins' music in the 21st century. In the decade following Fallout: New Vegas's release, "Big Iron" became an Internet meme, gaining popularity through remixes and parodies.^[6]

Personnel

• Marty Robbins - lead vocals
• The Glaser Brothers - backing vocals
• Bob Moore - bass
• Grady Martin - lead guitar
• Jack H. Pruett - guitar
• Louis Dunn - drums
• Don Law - production
• M.C. Rather - sound mastering
• Hollis Flatt - sound mastering

Charts

In albums

• Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (September 1959), a compilation, CL 1349 - mono, CS 8158 - stereo, PC 8158
• More Greatest Hits (April 1961), CL 1635 - mono, CS 8435 - stereo, PC 8435
• Bend in the River (1968), D 445 - mono (Columbia Musical Treasuries), DS 445 - stereo
• The Heart of Marty Robbins (1969), STS 2016 (Columbia Star Series)
• All Time Greatest Hits (August 1972), CG 31361, KG 31361, C 31361
• Marty! (1972 - 5 record set), P5S 5812 (Columbia Musical Treasury)
• Streets of Laredo, KH 32286 (Harmony, August 1973), LE 10576 (Columbia, December 1973)
• Marty Robbins' Own Favorites (1974), P 12416 (Columbia Special Products)
• Marty Robbins Gold (1975), NU 9060 (K-Tel)
• All Around Cowboy (1980) P 15594
• No. 1 Cowboy (1980), P 15594 (re-release of "All Around Cowboy")
• Marty Robbins (1981), GS 4003 (History of Country Music, Sunrise Media)
• A Lifetime of Song 1951 - 1982 (August 1983), C2 38870
• Memories in Song (1983 - 2 record set), P2 19162 (Columbia Special Product)
• The Best Of Marty Robbins (1984), RB4-214-1
• The Essential Marty Robbins:1951-1982 (1991), Sony Music Entertainment Inc C2T 48537 CT48538 CT 48539
• Marty Robbins Lost and found (1994), Sony Music Entertainment Inc CT 57695
• Marty Robbins Memories in Song (1994), Sony Music Special Products Compact Disc A 19163
• Marty Robbins Live Concert Versions Of His Greatest Hits (1995), Pickwick Group Ltd London England 300382
• Under Western Skies (Oct 1995), Bear Family Records, West Germany 4-CD Box Set BCD 15646
• Marty Robbins Legendary Country Singers (1995), Sony Music Special Products R989-06 PT-25142
• Story of My Life: Best of Marty Robbins (Mar 1996), Sony Music Entertainment Inc Sony CK 64763

Cover versions

Michael Martin Murphey covered the song on his 1993 album Cowboy Songs III. With the Robbins family's blessing, the song was recorded as a duet with Robbins. It was released as a single and peaked at number 62 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada.^[10]

Other covers of the song include:

• Kingfish (1976) by Kingfish
• Gun Shot a Cry (1983) by Eek-A-Mouse
• Under the Influences (1999) by Mike Ness
• Big Iron (2001) by Carol Noonan
• Johnny Cash, in American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002). Also included in Unearthed (2003).^[11]
• Boltgun (2017) by TheAnarchistMuffin, a parody based on Warhammer 40,000^[12]
• Colter Wall in Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs (2020)
• Big Mandalorian Iron (2021) by Kirt Connor, a parody based on The Mandalorian^[13]
• Big Iron (2023) by The Longest Johns
• Big Iron (2024) by Geoff Castelucci

Notes

1. It is suggested that the "town of Agua Fria" is Agua Fria, New Mexico; see "Research - Big Iron The Book". Archived from the original on 2015-06-16. Retrieved 2015-05-21.

References

1. "Marty Robbins – Big Iron". Discogs.com. 22 February 1960. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
2. "Marty Robbins - Big Iron". 45cat.com. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
3. Western Writers of America (2010). "The Top 100 Western Songs". American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 19 October 2010.
4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 533.
5. "The Drifter - Marty Robbins | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
6. Feldman, Brian (2019-02-13). "How the 60-Year-Old Country Song 'Big Iron' Became an Enduring Meme". Intelligencer. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
7. "Marty Robbins – {{{song}}}". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
8. "Marty Robbins Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
9. "Marty Robbins Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
10. "RPM Country Tracks". RPM. December 25, 1993. Archived from the original on April 22, 2017. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
11. "Cover versions of Big Iron by Johnny Cash". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
12. "Boltgun (Warhammer 40k - Big Iron Parody)". YouTube. 6 February 2017.
13. "Big Mandalorian Iron". YouTube. 23 December 2019.