Talk:Pancho and Lefty

Some conclude that Pancho and Lefty are brothers, Pancho was killed by his Brother Lefty because his mother loved his brother more. I think the words are cryptic, and the meaning ambiguous. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.212.20.252 (talk • contribs)

Was Lefty Pancho?
While some conclude that Lefty was a partner who betrayed Pancho, possibly even Pancho's jealous brother. I believe a case can be made for Lefty being the name Pancho took when he fled Mexico. First, the song begins by addressing Pancho in the first person.

LIVING on the road, my friend, is going to KEEP YOU FREE and clean. Weren't your mamma's only boy. She began to cry when YOU said good bye. Pancho was a bandit boy. Pancho met his match you know. NOBODY heard his dyin' words (possibly becasue he did not die) ...ALL the federales say...they COULD have had HIM any day...they only let HIM slip away, out of kindness I suppose. (this speaks of Pancho and implies they didnt get kill him)

Lefty, he cant sing the blues all night long LIKE HE USED TO. (new language) The dust that PANCHO BIT down south, ended up IN LEFTY'S MOUTH. The day they LAYED poor Pancho LOW (Lay low, is not a symbol of burial but escape). Lefty split for OHIO, Where he got the bread to go, there ain't NOBODY knows.... WE COULD have had HIM any day,  WE only let HIM slip away out of kindness I suppose.

POETS tell how Poncho FELL(not died), and (is now) Lefty's livin' in cheap hotels, the desert's quiet, Cleveland's cold. And so the story ends WERE TOLD. Pancho NEEDS(present tense) your prayers, save a few for Lefty too...HE ONLY did what he had to do (abandon his dreams and run)...and NOW he's growin' old. A few GRAY federales say..we COULD have had HIM(who?)any day....we only LET HIM GO...so long, out of kindness I suppose.

The overlaping references point to one person...two roles...bandito, and a man in exile. Pancho a Mexican name, Lefty his American moniker. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 166.70.15.76 (talk • contribs)


 * Speculation of this sort isn't helpful to the article (see WP:NOR). Clearly Van Zandt left a lot up to the listener eh? -MrFizyx 23:17, 19 February 2007 (UTC)


 * Rthe speculation is helpful & necessary to the article. The article states that Pancho was betrayed by an associate Lefty. I think that misses the entire story of the song that Pancho *is* Lefty. How is speculation attempting to correct the entry not helpful? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.131.38.137 (talk • contribs)


 * Again, read WP:NOR. If you feel that something in the current article is original research, remove it, but don't add an unsourced theory about the song.  It is not useful to Wikipedia.  I'm not sure who wrote the current version, but I do think it reasonable to state that the song "implies" that Pancho was betrayed by Lefty.  I'd be open to a more neutral wording if you can think of something though.  Regards, MrFizyx (talk) 03:29, 7 January 2009 (UTC)


 * This song would appear to a mashup of many stories. The death of Pancho Villa, in a setup. A betrayal in a drug deal, possibly to the law, for $.
 * Something to do w/ Lefty Frizzell. Van Zandt's own life,his drinking, and possibly a 'suspicion' traffic stop. A meditation on betrayal and broken
 * lives, in general. Tapered (talk) 06:51, 19 October 2011 (UTC)

Avoiding red link artists
I've removed the following from the "Selected discography":
 * Storyhill (a.k.a. Chris & Johnny), on their album Different Waters (1992)

I would rather that we only add artists for whom there is a wikipedia article and I'd be happy to add them if one is created. -MrFizyx 01:57, 28 March 2007 (UTC)
 * I've re-added 'em since someone recently wrote an article. -MrFizyx (talk) 18:43, 10 December 2007 (UTC)

Pancho and Lefty
From the details given in the lyrics, "Lefty" is clearly Lefty Frizzell, the famous '40s-50s country singer who died broke in a Cleveland hotel.

24.215.192.185 (talk) 22:55, 5 February 2008 (UTC)

The Storhill song "Pancho and Lefty" is not the same song. It is not a cover of the Townes Van Zandt song. It is an entirely different song written by Chris Cunningham of Storyhill. The song shares the same name and nothing else. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.228.129.22 (talk) 20:24, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

With reference to the first remark above about "Lefty" being Lefty Frizzell who died broke in a Cleveland hotel: not according to Wikipedia and other sources. Lefty Frizzell died in 1975 in Nashville of a massive stroke. So the only thing Van Zandt's "Lefty" has in common with Lefty Frizzell is the name. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.27.88.173 (talk) 17:47, 12 September 2015 (UTC)

Lesser known?
Shouldn't Emmylou's version be taken out of the "lesser known" category since it was a #1 hit and is mentioned early in the article?Airproofing (talk) 02:59, 15 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Whoops! Never mind... I read that wrong... she didn't have the hit. Duh... Airproofing (talk) 03:00, 15 July 2008 (UTC)

removal of call for references
I removed the call for references/citation of original research from June 2011. i watched the video linked for the 1st interview quote, and found it to also contain the 2nd un-cited quote relating the story of the policemen. changed the wording to indicate both quotes are from the same interview Chillywillycd (talk) 16:29, 2 January 2013 (UTC)

Content and composition
Back around this time last year, the Pancho and Lefty section wasn't too bad. It discusses the structure and the story a bit, then goes into some background with quotes from the songwriter, nicely capturing the ambiguity of the song. I've restored the entire section from back then; I don't see any reason it was cut down so. --jpgordon&#x1d122;&#x1d106;&#x1D110;&#x1d107; 23:23, 7 June 2021 (UTC)