Q: Why was the protagonist shot at the end?

[BlobWeird]

It wasnt the sheriff or his deputies that got to him. It was cattlemen. He jumped on a cattlemens horse so the cattle company chased him down and took care of business themselves. Thats how things went back then. If you were a good upstanding citizen then you basically had the right to take the law into your own hands and murder another man. And I agree 100% that he was killed for stealing the horse instead of killing a man. Horse theft was a MAJOR offense in that time.

[strumminsix]

There was not "cold blooded murder". It was a challenge ("my challenge was answered in less than a heartbeat").
In the west that was often overlooked or handled by the sheriff.

Don't know that it was the sheriff that picked him off in the end......

"Back in El Paso, my life would be worthless"
"Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys, off to my left ride a dozen or more"

I don't think it was the sheriff.....I think it was his homies.

No, Ed, you misread me. I was trying to say that his challenge (presumable to a dual or result of the stranger not leaving Felina) would have been overlooked by the masses or handled by the sheriff and likely he would have overlooked it as well.

Also I agree it was not the sheriff at the end but either the strangers "homies" or a posse to pick up a horse thief.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Is this the John Ford old west, or the Sergio Leone old west (Spain), the Clint Eastwood old west... or the Michael Landon old west?

Hmm. nobody's hugging, crying, or in soft focus, so it's not Michael Landon.

There are no Enrico Morricone Occarinas or Jaw Harps in the song, and it's not a direct Kurosawa ripoff, so it's not Leone.

There's no deeper, hidden meaning, despite all the debate here, and he only gets shot in the side, so it's not Eastwood.

Must be John Ford.

[tigerstrat]

he only gets shot in the side, so it's not Eastwood.

Must be John Ford.

The cowboy is shot twice, 1st in his side- but his love pushes him onward, and finally "deep in my chest".

But I agree: John Ford.

[strumminsix]

Is this the John Ford old west, or the Sergio Leone old west (Spain), the Clint Eastwood old west... or the Michael Landon old west?

Hmm. nobody's hugging, crying, or in soft focus, so it's not Michael Landon.

There are no Enrico Morricone Occarinas or Jaw Harps in the song, and it's not a direct Kurosawa ripoff, so it's not Leone.

There's no deeper, hidden meaning, despite all the debate here, and he only gets shot in the side, so it's not Eastwood.

Must be John Ford.

Awesome, TS!

I can see the JF old west.

[Tennessee Jedi]

There's no deeper, hidden meaning, despite all the debate here,

Or as Jerry would sing " And its no wonder, your reason goes bad, jelly roll will drive you so mad ....
Ya dig ?

[deadguise]

1. Felina didn't just have a drink with the handsome young cowboy, that's why she was known as Felina the Fellatrix.

2. The hero escaped because the handsome young cowboy's buddies were shoutin' and shootin'....

3. I wonder if they left his dead ass there by the side of the road?

[ebick]

No, Ed, you misread me.

Yes, I did mis-read you.

[jonarobb]

Or as Jerry would sing " And its no wonder, your reason goes bad, jelly roll will drive you so mad ....
Ya dig ?

And it's no wonder your reason goes bad
Jelly roll will drive you stone mad

[BlobWeird]

I was gonna comment that earlier but i didnt bother but yeah Ive heard so mad and stone mad before. But it seems like he flubs when he sings stone mad and is unsure of himself. So its tough to say which is really the one he wanted to use.

[zbipod]

Yes, I agree. Jellyrole will drive you so-stone mad. I don't have the proof, but It's always been my contention that 'wicked Felina' was about to let the 'Handsome young Stranger' tear her 'Barrelhouse Down'. Thus the protagonist didn't want 'another mule kicking in his stall.' So in a fit of lover's confusion he winds up with the 'Mexicali Blues', or rather TexMex Blues. Ha!