How the people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death
Wondered how he came to die
For the big gray war, the little Robert Ford shot Jesse James on the sly
It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward
I wonder how he does feel?
For he eat Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed
Then he laid Jesse James in his grave

Jesse leaves a wife that will mourn all her life
The children that he left will pray
For Bob, for the coward that shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave

Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor, he'd never see a man suffer pain
But with his brother Frank
He robbed the Springfield bank and stopped the Glendale train
It was his brother Frank that robbed the Gallatin bank
And carried the money from the town
It was in this very place, they had a little chase
And they shot Captain Sheets to the ground

Jesse leaves a wife that will mourn all her life
The children that he left will pray
For Bob, for the coward that shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave

They went to the 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 and Jesse James
T'was on a Saturday night and Jesse was at home
Talk'n with his family brave
Bob Ford came along like a thief in the night
And laid Jesse James in his grave

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

Jesse went to his rest with his hand on his breast
The devil will be upon his knee
He was born one day in the county of Clay and came from a solitary race
Now men when you go out into the West, never be afraid to die
They had the law in their hands, but they didn't have the sand
To take Jesse James alive

Jesse leaves a wife that will mourn all her life
The children that he left will pray
For Bob, for the coward that shot Mr. Howard
And laid Jesse James in his grave

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