I am a reckless highway man,
cole younger is my name
my crimes and depredations
have brought my life to shame
for the robbing of a northfield bank,
that i can't deny
now i'm here in prison, in stillwater jail i lie
It's of a bold high robbery,
a story i will tell
of a california miner
whose fate to us befell
we robbed him of his money and then
bade him go his way
for that i will be sorry until my dying day
Then we rode toward texas,
that good old lone star state
on nebraska's praries
the james boys we did meet
we saddled up our horses
and northward we did ride
into minnesota, our six guns at our sides
My eye was on the northfield bank
and brother bob did say
"if we undertake the job
we'll surely curse the day"
but we stationed out our pickets
and up to the bank did go
it was there upon the counter
we struck our fatal blow
But the cashier, being brave and bold,
denied our noted band
jesse james fired the shot
that killed that noble man
in vain, we searched the money drawers
while the battle raged outside
until we saw our safety was
a quick and desperate ride
So come on boys and ride for life
there's hundreds on our trail
we soon were overtaken
and landed right in jail
in stillwater jail i lie
wearing my life away
let frank and jesse tell the tale
of that sad, eventful day
i am a reckless highway man,
cole younger is my name