<P> "The Cisco Kid" is a song performed by War, and written by Thomas Allen, B.B. Dickerson, Harold Brown, and Charles Miller, all members of War at the time . It is the first song on their 1972 album The World Is a Ghetto, and is the group's highest - charting song, reaching #1 on the RPM 100 Canadian singles chart, #2 on the Billboard Top 40, as well as #5 on the R&B chart . It became a gold record . </P> <P> The song describes the adventures of Cisco and Pancho, two cowboys from the 1950s TV program The Cisco Kid . The song is known for having a different sequence of notes following each line . A distinct four - note phrase played by saxophone, harmonica, and flute punctuates the end of the first few lines, while a brief jam from the rhythm section follows the next couple . A completely different four - note phrase (this time played by guitar) follows some of the later lyrics, as well as lines of dialogue from the television show--- and a three - note sequence repeated twice in a row is played by the harmonica and saxophone . These easy - to - remember hooks, along with the funk - driven rhythm section, make this song one of War's signature tunes, and the "most fun ." according to lead vocalist and guitarist Scott . </P>

The cisco kid was a friend of mine