Ives began his career as an itinerant singer and guitarist, eventually launching his own radio show, The Wayfaring Stranger, which popularized traditional folk songs. In 1942, he appeared in Irving Berlin's This Is the Army and became a major star of CBS Radio. In the 1960s, he successfully crossed over into country music, recording hits such as "A Little Bitty Tear" and "Funny Way of Laughin'". Ives was also a popular film actor through the late 1940s and '50s. His film roles included parts in So Dear to My Heart (1948) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), as well as the role of Rufus Hannassey in The Big Country (1958), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ives is often associated with the Christmas season. He did voice-over work as Sam the Snowman, narrator of the classic 1964 Christmas television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Ives also worked on the special's soundtrack, including the songs "A Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", both of which continue to chart annually on the Billboard holiday charts into the 2020s.
Cowboy's Lament
Burl Ives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I walked out in Laredo one day
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay
I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy
These words he did say as I boldly walked by
Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story
It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing
Once in the saddle I used to go gay
First down to Rosie's and then to the card house
Got shot in the breast and I'm dying today
Get sixteen gamblers to carry my coffin
Get six jolly cowboys to sing me a song
Take me to the graveyard and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong
Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin
Get six pretty maidens to sing me a song
Take me to the valley and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy, I know I've done wrong
Oh beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the Dead March as they carry me along
Put bunches of roses all over my coffin
Put roses to deaden the clods as they fall
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walked out in Laredo one day
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay
The song "Cowboy's Lament" by Burl Ives portrays a young cowboy on his deathbed, confessing his sins to a passerby. The cowboy is all wrapped in white linen, as cold as the clay, indicating that he has already passed away. The singer of the song is nostalgic about his life as a cowboy, how he used to ride a horse, go to card houses, and visit Rosie's. However, his life has come to a sudden end as he has been shot in the breast, and he knows he must die. He wishes to be buried in a valley with bunches of roses all over his coffin, requesting sixteen gamblers and six jolly cowboys to carry his coffin and sing a song for him.
The song primarily depicts the cowboy's anxiety, waywardness, and regret, and provides a somber and introspective view of the cowboy's identity. The song also portrays the notion of justice, as the cowboy accepts punishment for his mistakes, and his remorse is evident in admitting that he has done wrong. The song provides an emotional glimpse into the cowboy's final moments and allows for empathy from the audience towards his situation.
Line by Line Meaning
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
I started to roam around the city of Laredo.
As I walked out in Laredo one day
Well, it all happened on a day while I was strolling in Laredo.
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Then, I saw a young cowgirl covered in a sheet of white linen.
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay
The linen felt colder and deader than the clay beneath it.
I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy
I could easily guess you're a cowboy from the way you're dressed.
These words he did say as I boldly walked by
He expressed his words as I walked by confidently.
Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story
He asked me to sit beside him and listen to his sorrowful tale.
I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die
He told me that he was hit in the chest and is aware of his imminent death.
It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing
He used to ride horses fearlessly and dashingly.
Once in the saddle I used to go gay
He would enjoy his time with fellow cowboys while riding his horse.
First down to Rosie's and then to the card house
He would visit Rosie's club first and then go to the card house later.
Got shot in the breast and I'm dying today
Unfortunately, he was shot in the chest and is dying today.
Get sixteen gamblers to carry my coffin
He wanted sixteen gamblers to carry his coffin.
Get six jolly cowboys to sing me a song
He requested six merry cowboys to sing him a song.
Take me to the graveyard and lay the sod o'er me
He wished to be taken to the graveyard and covered with green sod.
For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong
He knew he was a young cowboy and had made mistakes in his life.
Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin
Once again, he reminded to have six cheerful cowboys to carry his coffin.
Get six pretty maidens to sing me a song
He also insisted on having six lovely maidens to sing him a song.
Take me to the valley and lay the sod o'er me
This time, he preferred to be taken to the valley and covered with green sod.
For I'm a young cowboy, I know I've done wrong
And also, he re-iterated that he was a young cowboy and had committed wrongdoings.
Oh beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly
He wished to have the drum beaten slowly and the fife played softly.
Play the Dead March as they carry me along
He requested to play the Dead March while he's being taken to his final hours.
Put bunches of roses all over my coffin
He wanted his coffin to be covered with many bunches of red roses.
Put roses to deaden the clods as they fall
He wished to have roses that could muffle the sound of the mud clods falling on his coffin.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BURL IVES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cajas89
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walked out in Laredo one day
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay
I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy
These words he did say as I boldly walked by
Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story
I'm shot in the breast and I know I must die
It was once in the saddle I used to go dashing
Once in the saddle I used to go gay
First down to Rosie's and then to the card house
Got shot in the breast and I'm dying today
Get sixteen gamblers to handle my coffin
Get six jolly cowboys to sing me a song
Take me to the graveyard and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy and I know I've done wrong
Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin
Get six pretty maidens to sing me a song
Take me to the valley and lay the sod o'er me
For I'm a young cowboy, I know I've done wrong
Oh beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly
Play the Dead March as they carry me along
Put bunches of roses all over my coffin
Roses to deaden the clods as they fall
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walked out in Laredo one day
I spied a young cowboy all wrapped in white linen
Wrapped in white linen as cold as the clay
@richriver5336
Buddy of mine died from fentanyl overdose. He was a cowboy of modern times. I like to think of him when I listen to this song.
@BrendanBoylan-iw7np
Burl Ives was the total package
@josephkelly8624
Great song, great singer.
@jeanmarler9438
I adore all this beautiful music and singing
My GOD BLESS
@bennyjazzful
GOD--What a huge talent Burl had,with his vocals,acting etc.
From a mad keen 77yo Aussie fan.
@marcelinodominguez8201
Thank you burl ives is beloved to me
@younes5411
Man, Alexander Desplat and Wes Anderson are made for each other, every movie they made together was not in fact just a movie, it's a universe they created and this kind of music just takes you so deep in it,
Itis difficult to imagine a more iconic duo than the one mentionned before, who is in this man's hamble opinion, the best cinematic duo that ever existed, i'll be relentessly waiting for the next project they do together
@serious7179
Such a sad, subtly poetic song
@bobby33x97
What a beautiful and melodic voice!
@olavuthaug6991
I`ve known Burl Ives for years, and loved his voice for years. His voice makes me calm ...