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 up 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 stepped by.
"Come sit 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 dramhouse and then to the cardhouse,
Got shot in the chest and I'm dying today."
Oh beat the drum slowly play the fife lowly,
play the d**h 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, put roses to deaden the clods as they fall.
Then swing your ropes slowly and rattle your spurs lowly,
And give a wild yell as you carry me along.
Then 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.
Go bring me some water, a cup of cold water
To cool my parched lips.", the cowboy then said.
Before I returned 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 a young cowboy that surely done wrong.