Verse 1:
As I walked out into the streets of Laredo,
As I walked out of Laredo one day,
I saw a poor cowboy wrapped up in white linen.
Wrapped up in white linen and as cold as the clay.

Chorus:
Oh, the streets of Laredo sing a mournful tune.
In the soft jazz light of the evening moon.
With a rhythm so low and a melody so fine,
We remember the cowboy, lost to time.

Verse 2:
“I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy.”
These words he did say as I boldly stepped by.
“Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story.
I was shot in the breast, and I know I must die.

Chorus:
Oh, the streets of Laredo sing a mournful tune.
In the soft jazz light of the evening moon.
With a rhythm so low and a melody so fine,
We remember the cowboy, lost to time.

Verse 3:
Let sixteen gamblers come handle my coffin.
Let sixteen cowboys come sing me a song.
Take me to the graveyard and lay a sod on me.
I’m a poor cowboy, and I know I’ve done wrong.

Bridge:
It was once in the saddle that I used to go dashing.
It was once in the saddle that I used to go gay.
’Twas first to drinking and then to card playing.
I got shot in the breast, and I am dying today.

Verse 4:
Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin,
Get six pretty girls to carry my pall.
Put bunches of roses all over my coffin.
Put roses in them to deaden the clods as they fall.

Chorus:
Oh, the streets of Laredo sing a mournful tune.
In the soft jazz light of the evening moon.
With a rhythm so low and a melody so fine,
We remember the cowboy, lost to time.

Verse 5:
beat the drum slowly and play the flute lowly.
And play the dead march as you carry me along,
Take me to the green valley and lay the soil on me.
I’m a young cowboy, and I know I’ve done wrong.

Outro:
We beat the drum slowly and played the flute lowly.
And we bitterly wept as we bore him along.
We all loved our comrade, so brave, young, and handsome.
We all loved our comrade, although he’d done wrong.

Chorus:
Oh, the streets of Laredo sing a mournful tune.
In the soft jazz light of the evening moon.
With a rhythm so low and a melody so fine,
We remember the cowboy, lost to time.