Subject: ADD: Jesse James IV
From:
Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Aug 04 - 10:08 PM
JESSE JAMES IV (Fife and Fife Text and Melody E(
You've heard of heroes brave in all their glory,
In history you have often read their names,
But lend an ear and you will hear the story
About that famous bandit Jesse James.
When just a lad he joined the bad guerillas
And there he learned to play their wicked games,
With brother Frank and other famous killers
Began the bold career of Jesse James.
He roamed all over Kansas and Missouri,
At robbing banks he was a clever hand,
He never had to face a trial by jury
And soon became the leader of his band.
He even roamed way down in old Kentucky,
They claim he first invented robbing trains;
His life was short, he sure was mighty lucky
They never got the goods on Jesse James.
The Pinkertons were always out to catch him,
But could they do it? No! Not on your life!
It took a simple little gal to catch him,
And later on he took her for his wife.
Now after years of hanging around with outlaws
He met up with a gent named Robert Ford.
The traitor, though he didn't care about the laws,
He knew on Jesse's head was a reward.
He walked into the house one early morning
While Jesse was dustin' pictures in their frames,
He shot him in the back without a warning,
And that's the end of Mr. Jesse James.
So good folks, what's the use of us pretending,
It doesn't pay to play those crooked games.
Beware of any such unhappy ending,
Just profit by the death of Jesse James.
Fife and Fife, 1969 (1982), Cowboy and Western Songs, No. 93, Jesse James, Text and Melody E, with sheet music and chords, p. 260.
From a commercial recording by Frank Luther.
Frank Luther, Jesse James: Folk Collection 4, FAC Series III, vol. 18, no. 212; date not given in register. FAC INDEX
Note: Informant Clayton McMeachen provided a "Jesse James," Folk Collection 4, FAC Series III, vol. 18, no. 213. Not in Fife and Fife.
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