Tom Russell Follow

He was a Basque from San Sebastian, he came here in '51
Made his bones along the border in the Jai Alai frontons
With a cesta on his hand he threw his heart against the wall
He was the master of the dance in the fastest game of all

He had blood inside his eye, he threw his heart, he let it fly
He was the master of the dance, the king of Jai Alai
What does it mean to you and I? Swing your heart and let it fly
Love is a deadly dance just like Jai Alai

He met a woman deeper than the songs in the Cante Hondo bars
They made love outside the racetrack in his long black touring car
But love took all his passion, how the fire still twists and burns
Throw your heart against the wall, it might not return

He wrote a postcard from Bilbao, said the games were mostly gone
Just a memory to the old men who live in bars and gypsy songs
But oh, that crack of thunder when the pelota hit the wall
Love and Jai Alai were the fastest games of all

His passion never died but these nights he sleeps alone
Seeing her face reflected on the walls of border town frontons
The games have mostly died but old men too proud to cry
Live on memories of love and Jai Alai