Streets of Laredo

Marty Robbins.

A buddy from the Glendale CC Swap Meet this morning told me about this version of "Streets of Laredo" -which I sing- below is probably the original version from the late 1700s. I told him, well maybe I'd try out this version- he said "Oh no! Everyone knows Streets of Laredo. You can't."

I only started singing it the first place because it was the only song one of my old bandmates requested. Over two years until, he brought in a song he had written, it was the only song he had ever asked us to do.

I'm tempted to do this version.

Note that Mercury(II) chloride or mercuric chloride was an early treatment for syphilis and is a white salt:

As I was a walking down by the “Lock”,

As I was walking one morning of late,

Who did I spy but my own dear comrade,

Wrapp'd in flannel, so hard is his fate.

Chorus.

Had she but told me when she disordered me,

Had she but told me of it at the time,

I might have got salts and pills of white mercury,

But now I'm cut down in the height of my prime.

I boldly stepped up to him and kindly did ask him,

Why he was wrapp'd in flannel so white?

My body is injured and sadly disordered,

All by a young woman, my own heart's delight.

My father oft told me, and of[ten] times chided me,

And said my wicked ways would never do,

But I never minded him, nor ever heeded him,

[I] always kept up in my wicked ways.

Get six jolly fellows to carry my coffin,

And six pretty maidens to bear up my pall,

And give to each of them bunches of roses,

That they may not smell me as they go along.

[Over my coffin put handsful of lavender,

Handsful of lavender on every side,

Bunches of roses all over my coffin,

Saying there goes a young man cut down in his prime.]

Muffle your drums, play your pipes merrily,

Play the death [dead] march as you go along.

And fire your guns right over my coffin,

There goes an unfortunate lad to his home.