Jesse James

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