Big Iron - wikipedia Big Iron For other uses, see Big Iron ( disambiguation ). `` Big Iron '' `` Big Iron '' and `` Saddle Tramp '' by Marty Robbins Single by Marty Robbins from the album Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs B - side `` Saddle Tramp '' Released February 22, 1960 Format 7 '' Recorded April 1959 ( 1959 - 04 ) Genre Country Tex - Mex Length 3 : 56 Label Columbia Songwriter ( s ) Marty Robbins Producer ( s ) Don Law Marty Robbins singles chronology `` El Paso '' ( 1959 ) `` Big Iron '' ( 1960 ) `` Is There Any Chance '' ( 1960 ) `` El Paso '' ( 1959 ) `` Big Iron '' ( 1960 ) `` Is There Any Chance '' ( 1960 ) `` Big Iron '' is a country ballad written and performed by Marty Robbins, originally released as an album track on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs in September 1959, then as a single in February 1960 with the song `` Saddle Tramp '' as the B - side single. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. It tells the story of an Arizona Ranger 's duel with an outlaw named Texas Red in the `` town of Agua Fria ''. The townspeople predict the death of the Ranger, Texas Red having already killed `` one and nineteen men '', but the Ranger kills Texas Red with the swiftness of the `` big iron on his hip. '' This term refers to the gun the Ranger carries. Texas Red had n't even `` cleared leather '' - the Ranger 's draw was that swift. Robbins 's version of the song reached # 5 on the Billboard Country chart and # 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1960. The song is also featured in the video game Fallout : New Vegas on the in - game radio, Radio New Vegas. The Ranger 's `` Big Iron '' actually existed. It was a one - off custom handgun chambered in. 45 Colt and featured a Great Western copy of the Colt Single Action Army frame, Colt 1860 Army backstrap, grip frame and grips and a cut down 9 1 / 2 '' Marlin rifle barrel. Marty Robbins saw it in Andy Anderson 's famed North Hollywood gun shop in the late 1950s and wrote the song around it. Its current whereabouts are unknown. Contents 1 In albums 2 Cover versions 3 Charts 4 References 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 # 62 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. Other covers of the song include : Kingfish ( 1976 ) by Kingfish Under the Influences ( 1999 ) by Mike Ness Big Iron ( 2001 ) by Carol Noonan Unearthed ( 2003 ) by Johnny Cash Songs From The Mojave Wasteland ( 2010 ) soundtrack from Fallout : New Vegas Charts Chart ( 1960 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 67 US Billboard Hot 100 26 US Hot Country Songs ( Billboard ) References Jump up ^ `` Marty Robbins -- Big Iron ''. www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2017 - 12 - 05. Jump up ^ Western Writers of America ( 2010 ). `` The Top 100 Western Songs ''. American Cowboy. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Jump up ^ Note : It is suggested that the `` town of Agua Fria '' is Agua Fria, New Mexico, because it is the only `` Agua Fria '' ever been a town, see `` Research - Big Iron The Book ''. Retrieved 2015 - 05 - 21. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition ( Billboard Publications ), page 533. Jump up ^ Bob Arganbright. `` ANDY ANDERSON, `` The Gunfighter '' ``. Retrieved 2015 - 01 - 28. Jump up ^ `` RPM Country Tracks ''. RPM. December 25, 1993. Retrieved September 8, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Marty Robbins -- ( ( ( song ) ) ) ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 2017 - 12 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Marty Robbins Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved 2017 - 12 - 05. Jump up ^ `` Marty Robbins Chart History ( Hot Country Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved 2017 - 12 - 05. Marty Robbins Albums Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs Today The Performer Notable singles `` I 'll Go On Alone '' `` I Could n't Keep from Crying '' `` That 's All Right '' `` Maybellene '' `` Singing the Blues '' `` Knee Deep in the Blues '' `` A White Sport Coat '' `` The Story of My Life '' `` Just Married '' `` The Hanging Tree '' `` El Paso '' `` Big Iron '' `` Do n't Worry '' `` Devil Woman '' `` Ruby Ann '' `` Begging to You '' `` Ribbon of Darkness '' `` Tonight Carmen '' `` I Walk Alone '' `` It 's a Sin '' `` My Woman, My Woman, My Wife '' `` Laura ( What 's He Got That I Ai n't Got ) '' `` El Paso City '' `` Among My Souvenirs '' `` I Do n't Know Why ( I Just Do ) '' `` Return to Me '' `` Some Memories Just Wo n't Die '' `` Tie Your Dream to Mine '' Related articles Discography Jeanne Pruett Book : Marty Robbins Michael Martin Murphey 1970s albums Geronimo 's Cadillac ( 1972 ) Cosmic Cowboy Souvenir ( 1973 ) Michael Murphey ( 1973 ) Blue Sky -- Night Thunder ( 1975 ) Swans Against the Sun ( 1976 ) Flowing Free Forever ( 1976 ) Lone Wolf ( 1978 ) Peaks, Valleys, Honky Tonks & Alleys ( 1979 ) 1980s albums Hard Country ( 1981 ) Michael Martin Murphey ( 1982 ) The Heart Never Lies ( 1983 ) Tonight We Ride ( 1986 ) Americana ( 1987 ) River of Time ( 1988 ) Land of Enchantment ( 1989 ) 1990s albums Cowboy Songs ( 1990 ) Cowboy Christmas : Cowboy Songs II ( 1991 ) Cowboy Songs III ( 1993 ) Sagebrush Symphony ( 1995 ) The Horse Legends ( 1997 ) Cowboy Songs Four ( 1998 ) Acoustic Christmas Carols ( 1999 ) 2000s albums Playing Favorites ( 2001 ) Cowboy Classics : Playing Favorites II ( 2002 ) Cowboy Christmas III ( 2002 ) Live at Billy Bob 's Texas ( 2004 ) Heartland Cowboy : Cowboy Songs, Vol. 5 ( 2006 ) Buckaroo Blue Grass ( 2009 ) 2010s albums Lone Cowboy ( 2010 ) Buckaroo Blue Grass II ( 2010 ) Tall Grass & Cool Water ( 2011 ) Campfire on the Road ( 2012 ) Red River Drifter ( 2013 ) High Stakes ( 2016 ) Notable singles `` Geronimo 's Cadillac '' `` Wildfire '' `` Cherokee Fiddle '' `` What 's Forever For '' `` Still Taking Chances '' `` Love Affairs '' `` Do n't Count the Rainy Days '' `` Will It Be Love by Morning '' `` Disenchanted '' `` Radio Land '' `` What She Wants '' `` Carolina in the Pines '' `` Rollin ' Nowhere '' `` Fiddlin ' Man '' `` A Face in the Crowd '' ( with Holly Dunn ) `` A Long Line of Love '' `` I 'm Gonna Miss You, Girl '' `` Talkin ' to the Wrong Man '' `` Pilgrims on the Way ( Matthew 's Song ) '' `` From the Word Go '' `` Never Givin ' Up on Love '' `` Route 66 '' `` Big Iron '' Related articles Discography Ryan Murphey Rio Grande Band Pat Flynn Book : Michael Martin Murphey Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Iron&oldid=823095384 '' Categories : Western music ( North America ) 1959 songs Country ballads Marty Robbins songs Johnny Cash songs Songs written by Marty Robbins Michael Martin Murphey songs Columbia Records singles Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardcountrysongs Talk Contents About Wikipedia Français Edit links This page was last edited on 30 January 2018, at 06 : 00. 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Question: who sings the song big iron on his hip
Answer: Marty Robbins