Laws E1

(Composite of all the versions remembered by Robert B. Waltz.)

Jesse James (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesse James was a lad who killed many a man,
He robbed the Glendale train,
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor,
He’d a hand and a heart and a brain.

Chorus:
Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life,
Three children they were brave.
But that dirty little coward who shot Mister Howard
Has laid Jesse James in his grave.

It was on a Wednesday night, the moon was shining bright,
They robbed the Glendale train,
And the agent on his knees, he delivered up the keys
To those outlaws, Frank and Jesse James.

It was on a Saturday night, Jesse was at home,
Talking with his family brave.
Robert Ford came along like a thief in the night
And he laid Jesse James in his grave.

A purported photograph of Robert Ford (1860 to 1892), by an unknown photographer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward,
I wonder how he does feel,
For he ate of Jesse’s bread and he slept in Jesse’s bed
And he laid Jesse James in his grave.

This song was made by Billy Gashade
As soon as the news did arrive.
He said there was no man with the law in his hand
Who could take Jesse James when alive.