D#
How could she dance that slow bandera
G#
Shuffle to some cowboy hustle
D#                                   A#
How she makes those trophy buckles shine, shine, shine
D#
Wild-eyed and Mexican silvered
G#
Trickin' dumb ol' Cousin Willard
D#                       A#            D#
Into thinkin' that he's got her this time


[Chorus]
G#                                  D#
Hill country honky tonkin' Rita Ballou
 D#                                              A#
Every beer joint in town has played the fool for you
 G#                              D#
Backslidin' barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
D#                                 A#              D#
Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you


[Verse 2]
D#
She's a rawhide, rope, and velvet mixture
G#
Walkin' talkin' Texas texture
D#                            E#       A#
High timin' barroom fixture kind of a girl
 D#
She's the Queen of the Cowboys
 G#
Look at ol' Willard grinnin' now boys 
 D#                      A#                 D#
You'd a thought there's less fools in this world (but there wasn't)


[Chorus]
G#                                  D#
Hill country honky tonkin' Rita Ballou
 D#                                              A#
Every beer joint in town has played the fool for you
 G#                              D#
Backslidin' barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
D#                                 A#              D#
Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you


[Instrumental]
D#  G#  D#  A#
D#  G#  D#  A#  D#


[Bridge]
 G#
So good luck Willard and here's to ya
 D#
And here's to Rita and I hope she'll do ya
 A#
Ride all night
 A#                    A#7          D#
Lord I wish I was the fool in your jeans


[Chorus]
G#                                  D#
Hill country honky tonkin' Rita Ballou
 D#                                              A#
Every beer joint in town has played the fool for you
 G#                              D#
Backslidin' barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
D#                                 A#              D#
Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you


[Chorus]
G#                                  D#
Hill country honky tonkin' Rita Ballou
 D#                                              A#
Every beer joint in town has played the fool for you
 G#                              D#
Backslidin' barrel ridin' Rita Ballou
D#                                 A#              D#
Ain't a cowboy in Texas would not ride a bull for you