Streets Of Laredo

As I walked out in the streets of Laredo

As I walked out in Laredo one day

I spied a young cowboy wrapped up in white linen

Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay

"Oh, beat the drums slowly and play the fife lowly

Sing the Death March as you carry me along

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

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

"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

Got shot in the breast and I know I must die"

"My friends and relations they live in the Nation

They know not where their dear boy has gone

I first came to Texas and hired to a ranchman

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

"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'm dying today"

"Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin

Get six pretty maidens to sing me a song

Put bunches of roses all over my coffin

Put roses to deaden the sods as they fall"

"Go gather around you a group of young cowboys

And tell them the story of this my sad fate

Tell one and the other before they go further

To stop their wild roving before it's too late"

"Oh, bury me beside my knife and my shooter

My spurs on my heels, my rifle by my side

And over my coffin put a bottle of brandy

That the cowboys may drink as they carry me along"

"Go fetch me some water, a cool cup of water

To cool my parched lips," the poor cowboy then said

Before I returned, his spirit had left him

Had gone to his Maker--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