Jesse James

About Jesse James

"Jesse James" is a 19th-century American folk song about the outlaw of the same name, first recorded by Bentley Ball in 1919 and subsequently by many others, including Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Vernon Dalhart, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, The Kingston Trio, The Pogues, The Ramblin' Riversiders, The Country Gentlemen, Willy DeVille, Van Morrison, Grandpa Jones, Bob Seger, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (on the Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy album), Sons of the Pioneers, Johnny Cash, Liam Clancy, Mungo Jerry and Bruce Springsteen. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. more »

Year:

1957

4:33

292 Views

Playlists:

#3

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Jesse James was a lad that killed many a man
He robbed the Danville train
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand, a heart, and a brain

Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor
He couldn't see a brother suffer pain
And with his brother Frank he robbed the Springfield bank
And he stopped the Glendale train

Poor Jesse had a wife, a lady all her life
And three children, they were so brave
But that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
Has laid ol' Jesse James in his grave

It was Robert Ford, the dirty little coward
And I wonder how he feels
For he slept in Jesse's bed and he ate o' Jesse's bread
But he laid Jesse James in his grave  

It was with his brother Frank that he robbed the Gallatin Bank
An' carried the money from the town
It was at that very place that they had a little chase
For they shot ol' Captain Sheets to the ground

Poor Jesse had a wife to morn for his life
And three children, they were so brave
But that dirty lettle coward that shot Mr. Joward
Has laid ol' Jesse James in his grave  

They went to a crossing, not very far from there
And there they did the same 
For the agent on his knees delivered up the keys
To the outlaws, Frank an' Jesse James  

It was on a Wednesday night, not a star was in sight
When they robbed the Glendale train
Those people, they did say for many miles away
It was robbed by Frank an' Jesse James 

Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
And three children, they were so brave
But that dirty lettle coward that shot Mr. Joward
Has laid ol' Jesse James in his grave 

Then on a Saturday night, Jesse was at home
Just talking with his family brave
When Robert Ford came along like a thief in the night
And laid poor Jesse in his grave

Now, the people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death
They wondered how he came to die
It was one of his own gang called little Robert Ford
An' he shot Jesse James on the sly

Poor Jesse had a wife who mourned for his life
And three children, they were so brave
But that dirty lettle coward that shot Mr. Joward
Has laid ol' Jesse James in his grave

Jesse went to his rest with his hand upon his breast
And there are many who never saw his face
He was born one day in the County of Clay
And he came from a solitary race

This song was made by Billy Gashade
As soon as the news did arrive
He said there's no one man with the law in his hand
Could ever take ol' Jesse James alive  

Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn his life
An' his children too, they were brave
But that dirty little coward shot Mr. Howard
An' laid Jesse James in his grave

Oh, they laid poor Jesse in his grave, yes, Lord
They laid Jesse James in his grave
Oh, he took from the rich and he gave to the poor
But, they laid Jesse James in his grave

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Pete Seeger

Peter "Pete" Seeger (born May 3, 1919) is an iconic American folk singer. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene", which topped the charts for 13 weeks in 1950. Members of The Weavers were blacklisted during the McCarthy Era. In the 1960s, he re-emerged on the public scene as a prominent singer of protest music in support of international disarmament, civil rights, and environmental causes. more »

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