Sam Bass

Cat. #0736 (MFH #585) - As sung by Glenn Orhlin, Mountain View, Arkansas on May 29, 1969

VERSE 1
Sam Bass was born in Indianer
It was his native-home
An' at the age of seventeen
Young Sam begin to roam
He first set out for Texas
A cowboy for t' be
A kinda hearted feller
You seldom ever see

VERSE 2
Sam used t' deal in race stock
Once owned th Denton Mare
He matched 'er in scrub races
An' he took 'er to th fair
He used t' coin th money
And spend it just as free
He always drank good whiskey, boys
Wherever he may be

VERSE 3
Sam left th Collins Ranch
In th merrry month o' May
With a herd o' texas cattle
Th Blackhills for t' see
Sold out in Custer City
An' then went on a spree
A harder set o' cowboys
You seldom never see

VERSE 4
On their way back t' Texas
They robbed th UP Train
They then split up in couples
N' started home again
Joe Collins an' his pardner
Were overtaken soon
With all their hard earned money
They had to meet their doom

VERSE 5
Sam made back t' Texas
All right side up with care
Rode int' th town o' Denton
With all his friend t' share
Sam's life was short in Texas
Three roberies did he do
He robbed all th passengers
N' robbed the express cars too

VERSE 6
Sam had four bold companions
Four bold an' daring lads
There's Richardson an' Jackson
Joe Collins an' ole Dad
More bold an' daring cowboys
Th Rangers never knew
They beat th Texas Rangers
An' they ran th boys in Blue

VERSE 7
Sam, had another companion
Called Arkansas for short
Was shot by a Texas Ranger
By th name of Thomas Floyd
Ole Tom's a big six footer
An' thinks he's mighty sly
But I can tell ya his racket
He's a deadbeat on th sly

VERSE 8
Jim Murphy was arrested
N' released on bail
He jumped his bond at Tyler
N' caught th train for Carrol
But Major John had posted Jim
An' it was all a stall
It was only a plan, t' capture 'Sam
Before th com'n fall

VERSE 9
Sam met 'is fate at Round Rock
July th twenty-first
They filled poor Sam with rifle balls
N' emptied out his purse
Sam now is a corpse
An' six feet under clay
N' Jackson's in th bushes
Trying t' get away

VERSE 10
O, Jim h'd borrowed Sam's good gold
N' didn't want t' pay
The only shot that Jim could see
W's t' give poor Sam away
He sold out Sam in Barnes
An' left their friends t' mourn
O, what a scorch'n Jim will get
When Gabriel blows his horn

VERSE 11
An' sold he sold out in Barnes
An' left their t' mourn
O, what a scorch'n Jim will get
When Gabriel blows his horn
Perhaps he's got t' heaven
There's none of us can say
But if I'm right in my surmise
He's gone the other way

Variants