[Verse 1]
Early one morning at the St. James Hospital
Early one morning in the month of May
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen and as cold as the clay

[Verse 2]
Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story
Come and sit down beside me and hear my sad song
For my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking
I'm a poor cowboy and I know I done wrong

[Verse 3]
Send for the preacher, come and pray o'er my body
Send for the doctor, come and heal up my wound
For my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking
I'm a poor cowboy and Hell is my doom

[Verse 4]
Get me six pretty maidens for to carry my coffin
Six pretty maidens for to sing me a song
And tell them to bring some of thems sweet-smelling lilies
To throw o'er my body as they carry me along