St. James Hospital

(traditional, arrangement by Kate and Anna McGarrigle/Garden Court Music ASCAP)

Early one morning at the St James Hospital
Early one morning in the month of May
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
All wrapped in white linen and as cold as the clay

Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story
Come sit down beside me and hear my sad song
‘Cause my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking
I’m a poor cowboy and I know I’ve done wrong

Send for the preacher to come and pray o’er my body

Send for the doctor to come and heal up my wound

For my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking

I’m a poor cowboy and Hell is my doom

Get me six pretty maidens to come and carry my coffin
Six pretty maidens to come and sing me a song
And tell them to bring some of them sweet-smelling lilies
To throw o’er my body as they carry me along