COLE YOUNGER
Sung by: Ollie Gilbert
Recorded in Mountain View, AR by George Fisher

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I am a noted highwayman;
Cole Younger is the name.
Of deeds of desperadoes,
Has led to many of a shame.
Of robbing of the Northfield Bank,
A deed I never deny,
It's a deed that I’ll be sorry of
Until the day I die.

We buy the fastest horses,
And then we ride away.
We fight to win my father’s death,
We fight to win the prize,
We fight the anti-guerrilla boys
Until the day we die.

We ride the fastest horses,
And ride ‘em into town,
And on the prairie . . .
The James boys we sat down.
With knives and cards, revolver,
We all set down to play,
Drinking of good whiskey, boys,
To pass the time away.

We then got on our horses,
And northward we did go
To a God-forsaken little town
Called Minnesot-e-o.
Cole had his eye on the Northfield Bank.
His brother Bob did say:
Says, “Cole, if you undertake the job,
We’ll surely curse the day.”

We taken out our pickets
And rode up to the town,
And on the counter
We struck our fatal blow,
Saying, “Hand us over your money, boys,"
Brother Bob did say, "We are the noted Younger boys; We spare no time to play.”

We then got on our horses,
And started out of town.
The officer pursued us,
And Jim was shot down,
While three of the brave companions
Made it home alive,
While two of their brave companions
Lay between Minnesota sky.

Also found in Randolph, Vol. II, #131.

All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted

The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection
Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas
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