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 linnen
Wrapped up in white linnen as cold as the clay
I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy
These words he did say as a police stepped by
Come side down beside me and hear my sad story
I'm shot in the chest and i know i must die
It was once in the saddle i used to go dashin'
It was once in the saddle i used to go gay
First to the drumhouse and then to the courthouse
Got shot in the chest and i'm dying today
Oh beat the drum slowly 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
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 but roses to deaden the sod as they fall
Then swing your ropes slowly and raddle your spurs lowly
And give a wild yell as you carry me along
And in the grave throw me and rove the sod o'er me
For i'm a young cowboy and i know i've done wrong
Go bring me some water a cup of cold water
To cool my parched lips the cowboy then said
Before i return his soul had departed and gone to the roundup the cowpoke was dead
We beat the drum slowly we play the fife lowly we bitterly weep as we carry him along
We take him to the green valley there lay the sod o'er him
Just the young cowboy that surely done wrong