I am a noted highwayman; Cole Younger is my name
With deeds and desperation that brought my name to shame
Robbing of the Northfield bank is a thing I'll never deny
But which I will be sorry of until the day I die

We started for old Texas, that grand old Lone Star State
'Twas there on Nebraska prairies the James Boys we did meet
With knives, gun, and revolvers we all sit down to play
A game of good old poker to pass the time away

Across Nebraska prairies a Denver train we spied
I says to Bob, "We'll rob her as she goes rolling by"
We saddled up our horses; northwestward we did go
To the godforsaken country called Minnie-soh-tee-oh

I had my eye on the Northfield bank when brother Bob did say
"Cole, if you under-to-take the job, you'll always curse the day"
We stationed out our pickets up to the bank did go
'Twas there upon the counter, boys, we struck our fatal blow

Saying, "Hand us out your money, sir, and make no long delay
We are the noted Younger boys, and spend no time in play"
The cashier, being as true as steel, refused our noted band
'Twas Jesse James that pulled the trigger that killed this noble man

We run for life, for death was near, four hundred on our trail
We soon was overtaken and landed safe in jail
'Twas there in the Stillwater jail we lay, a-wearing our lives away
Two James boys left to tell the tale of the sad and fatal day