Cat. #0700 (MFH #585) - As sung by Virgil Lance, Mountain Home, Arkansas on April 15, 1969
VERSE 1
Sam Bass was borned in Indiana
That was his native home
But at th age of seventeen
Young Sam began to roam
He went out in t' Texas
A cowboy for t' be
A kinder hearted fellow
You seldom ever see
VERSE 2
Sam used t' deal in race stock
He called th Denton Mare
He matched 'er in scrub races
An' took her to th fair
Sam used t' coin th money
An' spent it just as free
Drink noth'in but good liqour
Wherever he might be
VERSE 3
Sam left th Collin Ranch
In th merry month of May
With a herd of Texas cattle
Th Blackhills for t' see
They sold out at Kansas City
An' all got on a spree
A tougher set of cowboys
You seldom ever see
VERSE 4
On their way to Texas
They robbed th U.P. Train
Divided up in couples
An' started out again
Joe Jackson and his pardner
Were overtaken soon
With all of their hard money
They had t' meet their doom
VERSE 5
Sam Bass was soon in Texas
So right side up with care
Rode in th town of Denton
With many friends to share
Sams life was short in Texas
Three robbries he did do
He robbed th mail, th passengers
Express cars, too
VERSE 6
Sam met his fatal doom
At Round Rock, July th twenty-first
They pierced poor Sam with rifle balls
An' emptied out his purse
Sam Bass was once a bandit
Now, a corpse o' th clay
Joe Jackson in th brask
A try'in t' get away
VERSE 7
Jim Murphy's bar'd Sams good gold
An' didn't want t' pay
The only way he thought t' win
Was t' give poor Sam away
So, he sold out to Whittenbaum
An' left th friends to mourn
What a scorch'in Jim will get
When Gabreil blows 'is horn