As I walked out in the streets of Laredo

As I walked out in Laredo one day

I spied a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen

All 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 proudly stepped by

""Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story

I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die



""'Twas once in the saddle I used to go ridin'

Once in the saddle I used to go gay

First lead to drinkin', and then to card-playing

I'm shot in the breast and I'm dying today



""Let six jolly cowboys come carry my coffin

Let six pretty gals come to carry my pall

Throw bunches of roses all over my coffin

Throw roses to deaden the clods as they fall



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

And play the dead march as you carry me along

Take me to the green valley and lay the earth o'er me

For I'm a poor cowboy and I know I've done wrong""



We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly

And bitterly wept as we carried him along

For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young and handsome

We all loved our comrade although he done wrong