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

It was 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