Bruce Springsteen
Lyric guide

The Ballad Of Jesse James

Read The Ballad Of Jesse James lyrics by Bruce Springsteen on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Bruce Springsteen Canonical path: /bruce-springsteen/the-ballad-of-jesse-james Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

The Ballad Of Jesse James

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Well don't you wanna climb a mountain

Yeah don't you wanna ride the river

Drink from a magic fountain

Give your woman all the love that you can give her

Well don't you wanna be an outlaw

Don't you wanna ride the range

Don't you wanna be an outlaw, children

Just like Jesse, like Jesse James, just like Jesse boy

Well now don't you wanna swim the ocean

Yeah don't you wanna climb the highest tree

Drink some of Mama's loving potion

Get your woman till she just can't see

Don't you wanna be an outlaw, yeah baby

Just a poor boy caught on the skids

Don't you wanna be an outlaw, children

Just like Billy, just like Billy the Kid

Well now Billy he was a bad boy

He won the Wild West

By the year of 21, had many notches on his gun

But someone laid him to an early rest

Well don't you wanna climb a mountain

Yeah don't you wanna ride the river

Drink from a magic fountain

Give your woman all the love that you can give her

Don't you wanna be an outlaw

Don't you wanna ride the range

Don't you wanna be an outlaw, children

Just like Jesse

Yeah, Jesse he was a bad boy

He won the wilder west

And many notches on his gun, as the year of 21

Someone laid him to an early rest

Don't you wanna climb a mountain

Yeah, don't you wanna ride the river

Drink from a magic fountain

Give your woman all the love that you can give her

Hey!

Don't you wanna be an outlaw

Don't you wanna ride the range

Don't you wanna be an outlaw, children

Just, just like Jesse, ???

But someone laid him to an early rest

Well don't you wanna be an outlaw

Don't you wanna be an outlaw

Whoa whoa whoa whoa, whoa whoa whoa whoa

Just like Jesse, just like Jesse, just like Jesse

Bring it on man, bring it on man, bring on

Whoa whoa whoa whoa

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Who performs "The Ballad Of Jesse James"?

Bruce Springsteen performs "The Ballad Of Jesse James", and this lyric page sits inside the Bruce Springsteen catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "The Ballad Of Jesse James"?

Yes. The related section below points to Born To Run and The River with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Bruce Springsteen?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Bruce Springsteen's lyric pages.

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