The Cowboy's Lament

1. As I walked out in the streets of La-re-do, As I walked out in La-re-do one day, I spied a young cowboy wrapped up in white linen, wrapped up in white linen and cold as the clay. 2. "I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy." These words, he did say as I boldly stepped by. "Come sit down be-side me and hear my sad story; I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die." 3. "Oh,beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly; Play the Dead March as you carry me a-long. Take me to the green valley and lay the sod o'er me, For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong." 4. "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." 5. "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." 6. "Go bring me a cup, a cup of cold water To cool my parched lips," the young cowboy said. Before I returned, the spirit had left him And gone to its Maker-- the cowboy was dead. 7. 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. , or whatever key you like to sing in.