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 linen
Wrapped up in white linen and 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;
Got shot in the breast and I know I must die!"

"Oh beat the drums slowly and play the fife lowly;
Play the Death March as you carry me along
Take me to the green valley, andlay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy and I know I´ve done wrong."

"It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing:
It was once in the saddle I used to go gay
First to the dram house and then to the card house
Got shot in the breast and I'm dying today."

"Go gather around you a group of young cowboys
And tell them the story of this my sad fate
Tell one and the other before they go further
To stop their wild roving before it's too late."

We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly
And bitterly wept as we bore him along
For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young, and handsome
We all loved our comrade although he'd done wrong