Story Behind The Song

One of my favorite films is "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" starring Humphrey Bogart. One day I decided to write a song based on the famous film

Lyrics

"Sierra Madre"
(Based on the classic film "Treasure of the Sierra Madre")
Music and Lyrics
Andrew Rothstein & Richard Schwartz

Tampico, Mexico a couple of months ago in the oil fields
Working on the rigs from sun up straight into the night
Foreman wouldn't pay we caught him and cut him in a fight
Fell into a flophouse drunk, before the morning light...

Met a strange old man with gold dust on his hands who had fire-y eyes
Talked about a place he knew a fortune could be found
A mountain with a vein so rich and no one else around
So I said "OK pal, lead the way, we'll rip it from the ground!"

Sierra Madre, I hear you calling, jealously guarding the secrets you hold...
Sierra Madre, your treasure haunts me, all that I wanted from you was your gold

Travelled for a week through the burning heat of the desert sun
On the mountainside we drove the shaft deep into the land
I emptied out my soul and filled it with all the golden sand
When I had enough I grabbed the stuff, ran toward the Rio Grand

Sierra Madre, I hear you calling, jealously guarding the secrets you hold...
Sierra Madre, your treasure haunts me, all that I wanted from you was your gold

The mountain lion roars as it hunts down its prey...
I'll make my killing in just the same way

Sharp pain in my back, I dropped the sack, reeling as I hit the ground
As I felt the blood I saw the bandits standing in my way
I watched them as they slit the bags and I began to pray
I saw the desert winds take back the gold and blow it all away

Sierra Madre, I hear you calling, jealously guarding the secrets you hold...
Sierra Madre, your treasure haunts me, all that I wanted from you was your gold