Cowboys Lament(The Streets Of Laredo)

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo

As I walked out in Laredo one day

I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen

Wrapped up in white linen as cold as the clay

Ł˘Oh beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly

Play the dead March as you carry me along

Take me to the green valley there lay the sod o'er me

For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong

Ł˘I see by your outfit that you are a cowboyŁ˘

These words he did say as I boldly stepped by

Ł˘Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story

I am shot in the breast and I know I must die

Ł˘Let sixteen gamblers come handle my coffin

Let sixteen cowboys come sing me a song

Take me to the graveyard and lay the sod o'er me

For I'm a poor cowboy and I know I've done wrong

Ł˘My friends and relations they live in the Nation

They know not where their boy has gone

He first came to Texas and hired to a ranchman

Oh I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong

Ł˘It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing

It was once in the saddle I used to go gay

First to the dram house and then to the card house

Got shot in the breast and I am dying today

Ł˘Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin

Get six pretty maidens to bear up my pall

Put bunches of roses all over my coffin

Put roses to deaden the sods as they fall

Ł˘Then swing your rope slowly and rattle your spurs lowly

And give a wild whoop as you carry me along

And in the grave throw me and roll the sod o'er me

For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong

Ł˘Oh bury beside me my knife and six shooter

My spurs on my heel my rifle by my side

And over my coffin put a bottle of brandy

That the cowboys may drink as they carry me along

Ł˘Go bring me a cup a cup of cold water

To cool my parched lips Ł˘ the cowboy then said

Before I returned his soul had departed

And gone to the round up the cowboy was dead

We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly

And bitterly wept as we bore him along

For we all loved our comrade so brave young and handsome

We all loved our comrade although he'd done wrong