The ToneWay® Project: helping people play music


Jesse James [core]

Jesse James was a lad, he killed many a man
He robbed the Glendale train
He took from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand, a heart and a brain

Chorus
Oh Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
Three children, they were brave
But that dirty little coward, that shot Mister Howard
He laid poor Jesse in his grave

Oh, Jesse was a man, and a friend to the poor
He'd never see a man suffer pain
But with his brother Frank he robbed the Chicago bank
And he stopped the Glendale train

How the people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death
And wondered how he ever came to die
It was Ford's pistol ball brought him tumbling from the wall
And it laid poor Jesse down to die

It was on a Saturday night, Jesse was at home
Talking to his family brave
Robert Ford came along like a thief in the night
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave

It was Robert Ford that dirty little coward
I wonder how he does feel
For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave

This song it was made by Billy Gashade
As soon as the news did arrive
He said there was no man with the law in his hand
Who could take Jesse James when alive

Available in these books:

Get Started Plus:
Core Songs Edition
100 songs and our acclaimed play-by-ear learning method.
Big Print Songs
Over 200 songs.
Both books feature large-print lyrics (20-point type) and include chords, historical info, jamming hints, and more.

...and on these CDs:

Five CDs, 100 songs. Recordings from the Abbott family and their friends.
Listen to sample tracks.

The MP3 collection has all 100 songs on one CD for a discount. See details.


A song from the Mountain Music for Everyone Song Collection from the ToneWay Project. Our website has lyrics to nearly 400 traditional songs common in bluegrass and old-time circles. Most songs also include a free MP3 recording that you can listen to. The ToneWay Project also offers songbooks, CDs, and resources for learning to play music by ear. http://ToneWay.com