The following quote comes directly from the album, "We Shall Overcome, The Pete Seeger Sessions" (Pete, not Bob. No relation, as far as I know. Pete Seeger is (was?) a well-know folksinger), by Bruce Springsteen (copyright 2006 by Bruce Springsteen):
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"This historical ballad originated in the immediate aftermath of james's murder. . . . Written by mistrel Billy gashade, and rewritten as a social protest by Woody Guthrie in 1939. This version is derived form the original."
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Jesse James was a lad
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That killed many a man
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He robbed the Glendale train
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He stole from the rich
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And he gave to the poor
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He'd a hand and a heart and a brain
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Well it was Robert Ford
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That dirty little coward
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I wonder now how he feels
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For he ate of Jesse's bread
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And he slept on Jesse's bed
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And he laid poor Jesse in his grave
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Well Jesse had a wife
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To mourn for his life
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Three children now
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They were brave
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Well that dirty little coward
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That shot Mr. Howard
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He laid poor Jesse in his grave
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Well Jesse was a man
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A friend to the poor
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He'd never rob a mother or a child
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There never was a man with
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The law in his hand
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That could take Jesse James when alive
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Well Jesse had a wife
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To mourn for his life
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Three children now
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They were brave
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Well that dirty little coward
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That shot Mr. Howard
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He laid poor Jesse in his grave
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It was on a Saturday night
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When the moon was shining bright
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They robbed the Glendale train
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And people they did say
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O'er many miles away
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It was those outlaws Frank and Jesse James
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Well Jesse had a wife
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To mourn for his life
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Three children now
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They were brave
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But that dirty little coward
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That shot Mr. Howard
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He laid poor Jesse in his grave
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Now the people held their breath
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When they heard of Jesse's death
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They wondered how he'd ever
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Come to fall
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Robert Ford it's a fact
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He shot Jesse in the back
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While Jesse hung a picture on the wall
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Jesse went to rest
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With his head on his breast
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The devil upon his knee
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He was born one day
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In the County Clay
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And he came from a
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Solitary race
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Well Jesse had a wife
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To mourn for his life
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Three children now
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They were brave
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Well that dirty little coward
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That shot Mr. Howard
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He laid poor Jesse in his grave
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Jesse James
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| Bob Seger |
