by Thurston James
The Ballad of Jesse James was composed by an unknown author. The
date of its first release, is also unknown, but as it was performed on the
streets, it became an immediate success. The song's popularity played a
significant part in perpetuating the legend of Jesse James and his role as
a Robin Hood.
There is no authentic version. At first, the song was passed on in
an oral tradition it was not set down on paper for many years. New singers
could, and did, add verses at will and the original, what ever that might have
been, has evolved. The number of verses grew to a point where one commentator
described the work as 'a ten foot poem'.
The fragments that have been collected for this reading are combined and
arranged in an order that seems to be logical.
But, whatever the version you choose to sing, the chorus will agree
that Jesse's wife 'mourned', his children were 'brave', and that Bob Ford was 'dirty'
and 'little' and 'a coward'.
The Ballad of Jesse James
Jesse James was a lad that killed many a man.
He robbed the Danville train.
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand, a heart, and a brain.
It was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward
I wonder how he does feel
For he ate Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed,
And he laid Jesse James in his grave.
Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor,
He couldn't see a brother suffer pain
And with his brother Frank he robbed the Springfield bank
And he stopped the Glendale train
It was with his brother Frank he 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.
CHORUS
Jesse leaves a wife, that'll mourn all her life
His three children they were brave
For that dirty little coward, he shot Mr. Howard
And lay poor Jesse in his grave
It was on a Wednesday night the moon was shining bright
They robbed the Danville train.
The people they did say for many miles away
It was robbed by Frank and Jesse James
It was on a Friday night when the moon was shining bright
They robbed the Glendale train
For the agent on his knees, delivered up the keys
To the outlaws Frank and Jesse James
Twas on a Saturday night and Jesse was at home
A-talking to his family so brave
Bob Ford came along like a thief in the night
And laid Jesse James in his grave.
CHORUS (alternate)
Oh, they laid poor Jesse in his grave, yes lord
They laid Jesse James in his grave.
Oh, he took from the rich and
he gave to the poor
But, they laid Jesse James in his grave
The people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death
And wondered how he came to die
For the big reward, Little Robert Ford
Shot Jesse James on the sly
Jesse went to rest with his hand on his breast
And there are many who never saw his face
He was born one day in the county of Clay
And he came from a solitary race.
CHORUS (alternate)
Jesse leaves a wife, that'll moan all her life
The children that he left will pray
For Robert Ford the coward that shot Mr. Howard
And lay poor Jesse in his grave
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.
This song was made by Billy Gashade
As soon as the news did arrive
He said there's no man with the law in his hand
Can take Jesse James alive
The Billy Gashade mentioned in the last verse, was a friend of the
James Family, and a printer with the Liberty, Missouri newspaper. This last
verse claims that he wrote the song. Maybe, maybe not -- to confuse
this issue is the fact that some respected authorities render this name as
Lashade. Another story has it that a black convict wrote this verse while in jail
In his book, "Jesse James Was His Name", William Settle Jr. used some
of the lyrics from "The Ballad of Jesse James" as chapter headings. His book is
broken into fifteen chapters, and each chapter begins with a fragment of a verse,
each of a size and content that would best serve for one of his chapter headings.
In the movie "The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James," Kris Kristopherson
sings a version of 'The Legend of Jesse James' over the opening titles, then,
at the end of the film, as Bob Ford gets shot, this verse is sung over the
closing credits..............
And then one day The papers did say,
Bob Ford got his rewarding
A cowboy drunk His heart did plunk
'As you do, you'll get according.'
Authorities tell us these verses are from a different song. It is
being included here because both William Settle and Kris Kristopherson make
use of these words.
Jesse James was one of his names
Another it was Howard
He robbed the rich of every stitch.
You bet he was no coward.
His mother she was elderly
His father was a preacher
Though some do say, I can't gainsay,
His mother was his teacher.
Her strong right arm, it came to harm.
Detectives blew it off, sir,
And killed her son, the youngest one.
No wonder such she'd scoff, sir.
7.
My Jesse dear, your mother here
Has taught more than she ought ter,
For Robert Ford, I pledge my word,
Has marked you for his slaughter.
For robbing trains Bob had no brains
Unless Jess plainly showed him.
Our governor for peace or war
Explained this for to goad him.
So Robert Ford he scratched his gourd
And then he said, "I'll go you,
Give me a price that's something nice,
And then by gee I'll show you!"
Then Governor C. he laughed with glee
And fixed a price to suit him.
And Bob agreed, with ready speed,
To find Jesse James and shoot him.
And then he did as he was bid
And shot Jess in the back, sir,
Then ran away on that same day,
For cash he did not lack, sir.
He did his best to live out west,
But no one was his friend there.
"You've killed your cousin," they went buzzin',
However free he'd spend there.
And then one day, the papers say,
Bob Ford got his rewarding:
A cowboy drunk, his heart did plunk.
As you do you'll git according.
Maybe it is a different song but Kristopherson makes it fit the
tune that we all know so well.
Bibliography for the Ballad of Jesse James
Jesse James was his name by William A Settle Jr.
The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James - Vidmark Entertainment
Ballads and Songs Collected by the Missouri Folk-Lore Society Edited by H M Belden
Railroad Songs Heroes and Badmen "Jesse James"
Ozark Folksongs Songs about Murderers and Outlaws