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