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cnd Origins: Jesse James I (98* d) RE: Origins: Jesse James I 04 Mar 21


Actually, the rendition on Folkways does have the lines I couldn't hear, just in a different order. Replace "[[as a loot giver too]]" with "and the little children, too." Despite the similarity of the lyrics, it is a different recording.

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Here's the lyrics as printed in the aforementioned Folkways album.

Jesse James, Jene James, there's, no more of Jesse
Robbing the banks and trains
He was shot on the sly by little Robert Ford
And they laid Jesse James in his grave.

Jesse James went to town not many days ago
The bank was open for to see
The clerk got down upon his knees and handed up the keys
To Frank and his brother Jesse James.

Chorus: Jesse James, Jesse James, there's no more of Jesse James
Robbing the banks and trains
Was a dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
And they laid Jesse James in his grave.

The boys in the West when they heard of Jesse's death
They wondered what caused him to die
Was a cold pistol ball brought him tumbling from the wall
And they laid Jesse James in his grave.

Jesse James had a wife, she was a mourner all her life
Children were running round brave
She mourned Jess' loss and the little children too
As a gorilla [sic] in Missouri he was brave.

Jesse James, Jesse James, there's no more of Jesse James
Robbing the banks and trains
He was shot on the sly by little Robert Ford
And they laid Jesse James down to die.

Frank James thought it best when he heard of Jesse's death
To abide by the laws of the state
He applied to Governor Britten in a long written letter
And explained the course he wanted to take.

Frank James is at ease in the state of Texas
At Denver he resides
It's been many men called their presence for to be
For the name has reached across the sea.


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