As I walked out in the streets of New Reno
As I walked out in New Reno one day
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen and cold as the clay

"Oh, beat the [bad word] slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the dead march as you bear me along
Take me to the valley and lay the sod o'er me
I'm a young cowboy; I know I've done wrong"

"I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy"
These words he did say as I slowly walked by
 [bad word] sit down beside me and hear my sad story
I'm shot in the chest and today I must die"

"Go bring me a cup, a cup of cold water
to cool my parched lips," the cowboy then said
Before I returned his soul had departed
and gone to the roundup; the cowboy was dead

"Oh, beat the [bad word] slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the dead march as you bear me along
Take me to the valley and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy; I know I've done wrong"