The Cowboy's Lament

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo As I walked out in Laredo one day I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy These words he did say as I boldly walked by Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing Once in the saddle I used to go gay First down to Rosie's and then to the card house Got shot in the breast and I'm dying today Get sixteen gamblers to carry my coffin Get six jolly cowboys to sing me a song Take me to the graveyard and lay the sod o'er me For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin Get six pretty maidens to sing me a song Take me to the valley and lay the sod o'er me For I'm a young cowboy, I know I've done wrong Oh beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly Play the Dead March as they carry me along Put bunches of roses all over my coffin Put roses to deaden the clods as they fall As I walked out in the streets of Laredo As I walked out in Laredo one day I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay