Cowboy's Lament Lyrics - Burl Ives

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