As i walked out in the streets of laredo as i walked out in laredo one day I spied a young cowboy wrapped up in white linnen Wrapped up in white linnen as cold as the clay I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy These words he did say as a police stepped by Come side down beside me and hear my sad story I'm shot in the chest and i know i must die It was once in the saddle i used to go dashin' It was once in the saddle i used to go gay First to the drumhouse and then to the courthouse Got shot in the chest and i'm dying today Oh beat the drum slowly play the fife lowly play the dead march as you carry me along Take me to the green valley there 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 bear up my pall Put bunches of roses all over my coffin but roses to deaden the sod as they fall Then swing your ropes slowly and raddle your spurs lowly And give a wild yell as you carry me along And in the grave throw me and rove the sod o'er me For i'm a young cowboy and i know i've done wrong Go bring me some water a cup of cold water To cool my parched lips the cowboy then said Before i return his soul had departed and gone to the roundup the cowpoke was dead We beat the drum slowly we play the fife lowly we bitterly weep as we carry him along We take him to the green valley there lay the sod o'er him Just the young cowboy that surely done wrong