Early one morning
Past the St. James Hospital
Early one morning
Morn' in the month of May
When I looked through the window and I spied a dear cowboy
A dear cowboy as cold as the clay

Set ye down by me
And hear my sad story
Set ye down by me
And sing me a song
For my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking
I'm a poor cowboy that knowed he done wrong

Send for that doctor
To come and heal up my body
And send for the preacher
To come and pray for my soul
For my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking
I'm a poor cowboy and Hell is my doom

Get sixteen pretty maidens
To come and carry my coffin
Sixteen pretty maidens
To come and sing me a song
And tell 'em to bring some of them sweet smelling roses
So they can't smell me as they tote me along

Beat the drums slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the death march as you carry me along
Throw bunches of lilies all over my coffin
There goes a poor cowboy that knowed he done wrong