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St. James Hospital

by Kate & Anna McGarrigle

on Heartbeats Accelerating (2022)

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
Wrapped in white linen and as cold as the clay

Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story.
Come and sit down beside me and hear my sad song.
For my poor head is aching and my sad heart is breaking.
I'm a poor cowboy and I know I done wrong.

Send for the preacher, come and pray o'er my body.
Send for the doctor, 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 for to carry my coffin,
Six pretty maidens for to sing me a song.
And tell them to bring some of thems sweet-smelling lilies
To throw o'er my body as they carry me along.