Jesse With The Long Hair Hanging Down

(album: A Bigger Piece Of Sky - 1993)

Jesse took a powder, slicked his long hair back
put a cartridge in his gun and stepped outside his shack,
saddled up his buckskin mare and rode off into town.
Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Luann fixed her makeup, straightened out her dress,
picked up a photograph and held it to her breast.
How could she ever love him? he never was around.
Jesse with the long hair hanging down

Flesh and blood it turns to dust
Scatters in the wind
Love is all that matters in the end.

Sheriff Paul was sleeping, his hat off in his lap
When he got a package that woke him from his nap.
He unrolled a poster, couldn't help but frown
It was Jesse with the long hair hanging down.
They had been compadres many years before.
Jesse saved his life one time back before the war.
Now he was the king of thieves, he wore it like a crown.
Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Flesh and blood it turns to dust
Scatters in the wind
Love is all that matters in the end.

Mr. Brown the banker hid the money in his case.
It was time for him to leave this God forsaken place.
His true love loved the outlaw who hated Mr. Brown.
That was Jesse with the long hair hanging down.
Mr. Brown had taken the land that Jesse owned.
The banker claimed that Jesse had not repaid his loan.
Truth and lies were tangled but when the truth unwound
there was Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Mr. Brown was all along Luann came walking in.
She pulled a pistol from her purse and pointed it at him.
When the door blew open she turned to look around
It was Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Mr. Brow grabbed Luann's gun and held it to her head.
"I'll blow her to Kingdom Come" is what the banker said.
In the fateful moment Jesse stood his ground.
Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Flesh and blood it turns to dust
Scatters in the wind
Love is all that matters in the end.

The bullet that killed Mr. Brown came through the windowpane.
It put a hole above one eye and lodged down in his brain.
He never saw a puff of smoke, no flash, no fire, no sound.
From Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Sheriff Paul was fast asleep his hat down on his eyes,
when he got a letter and much to his surprise
a picture of his sweet Luann in her wedding gown
and Jesse with the long hair hanging down.

Flesh and blood it turns to dust
Scatters in the wind
Love is all that matters in the end.