Lyrics When I Was a Cowboy - Leadbelly

When I was a cowboy
Out on the western plains
When I was a cowboy
Out on the western plains

I made a half a million
Putting on the bridle reins
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay

Oh, the hardest battle was there ever on the western plains
Oh, the hardest battle was there ever on the western plains
When me and a bunch of cowboys run into Jesse James
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay

When me and a bunch of cowboys run into Jesse James
When me and a bunch of cowboys run into Jesse James
They bullets was a'falling just like a shower rain
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay

Woah, the hardest battle was there ever on Bunker Hill
Woah, the hardest battle was there ever on Bunker Hill
When me and a bunch of cowboys run into Buffalo Bill
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay

Them boys had it all in for some man on the outskirts of town
And they had made the horses drunk
They had made them 45's drunk
And the boys had already got drunk
And all around that man's house
Them horses was a-walking and them 45's was a-talking
And they sent there best regards to that man and here what they said

Your house catches on fire and ain't no water around
Your house catches on fire ain't no water around
So you jerry out your window and dog won't shag burn down
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay

Come all you cowboys, don't you want to go?
Come all you cowboys, don't you want to go?
Come meet the Lone Ranger on the range of Buffalo
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay
Come a cow-kai-yippie
Come a cow-kai-yippie yippie yay