Jesse James was a man
And a friend to the poor
He'd never see a man suffer pain
But with his brother Frank
He robbed that Glendale bank
And he robbed the Glendale train
Now Jesse had a wife
To mourn all her life
Three children, they were brave
But that thief and that coward
He shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave
Now Jesse never lied
As he rode the countryside
For he was a friend to the poor
And the agents on their knees
Would deliver up their keys
To the outlaws Frank and Jesse James
Now Jesse had a wife
To mourn all her life
Three children, they were brave
But that thief and that coward
He shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave
How the people held their breath
When they heard of Jesse's death
And they wondered how he ever came to die
Robert Ford ate his bread
And he lay in Jesse's bed
But he shot poor Jesse on the sly
Now Jesse had a wife
To mourn all her life
Three children, they were brave
But that thief and that coward
He shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave
Now Jesse's gone to rest
With his hands upon his chest
And the people, they weep and moan
On the sad and fateful day
When they laid him in the clay
For poor Jesse James he was gone
Goodbye Jesse
Farewell Jesse
Goodbye old Jesse James
It was that thief and that coward
Who shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave