Jesse James was a man, and he traveled in the land He stopped on the Rocky Mountain shore Well he stole from the rich, and he gave to the poor But I'll never see my Jesse anymore.
[Chorus:] Oh, I don't know where my poor old Jesse's gone Oh, I don't know where my poor Jesse's gone But I'll meet you in that land where I've never been before And I don't know where my poor old Jesse's gone And I don't know where my poor old Jesse's gone (after last verse ONLY)
It was with his brother Frank that he robbed the Denver bank They carried the money from the town And the agent on his knees he delivered up the keys When Frank and his brother Jesse frowned
[Chorus]
Jesse James was at home, he was standing up on high Trying to straighten out a picture frame And he thought he was alone, and he laid down his gun Then they laid down my poor Jesse James
So Jesse's laid at rest with a hand across his chest And a smile was there upon his face He was born one day in the County of Clay And he come of a wild and reckless race