When the blood red sun sinks slowly down

Beyond the curving plain,

And the silver moon comes coyly up

With shimmering stars in train

Josita mounts his fiery horse

And rides like the wind so free

To the home of Carmen, o'er the plain,

With his banjo on his knee.

And then Josita softly sings:

Life is sweet

And deep the skies,

Love is long,

And never dies

And gently picks the banjo strings,

Plunk, plunk.

And Carmen comes to the window edge

To hear her lover's song.

He timidly holds her slender hand -

But not for very long.

And dreaming, Josita softly sings:

Life is sweet,

And deep the skies

Love is long,

And never dies,

And gently picks the banjo strings .

Plunk, plunk.