Billboard #1 Hits:#24- “El Paso”- Marty Robbins. January 4, 1960- 2 weeks. Columbia Records. Written by Marty Robbins. Genre: Country and Western. Time: 4:38. B-Side:”Running Gun” Grade: A+.
“El Paso” Marty Robbins signature song- was released on his Gunfighter and Trail Ballads album in September 1959. The song would be awarded the Grammy for Best Country and Western Recording in 1961. I can’t imagine that anyone over thirty hasn’t heard this song at least once. The time of the song 4 minutes and 38 seconds really sticks out in an era when hit singles seldom went over 2 and a half minutes. A great story song- Columbia at the time worried that people wouldn’t want the to listen to the longer version so they sent a promo to radio stations- one side the full version and one side edited to around 3 minutes- the full version was the one which the audience wanted to hear. The single went to #1 on both the Hot 100 and on the Country and Western singles chart. “El Paso” the first new #1 hit on the Billboard charts in the 1960’s -is a classic.
slicethelife 
We had at least one Marty Robbins album growing up and it had this one and “The Hanging Tree” on it. Or maybe two albums with a song on each. When I was a little kid and listened to the stories, I believed they were true, and they are in some sense, but it was tough on a small child. Why I never asked my parents about it is a mystery…
Isn’t it odd- there were things that bugged me like that too- and I just kept it to myself and never asked either.
My parents were so distracted by their “issues” there wasn’t any rapport there between us kids and them.
That is sad.
I have to admit I am over 30, and don’t think I’ve ever heard this…
Wow- Thanks for the input.!