Song title: The ballad of Jesse James
The ballad of Jesse James - Version 1 (studio?)
Don't you wanna climb a mountain
Don't you wanna ride the river
Drink from a magic fountain
Give a woman all the love that you can give her
Well don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna ride the range
Dont you wanna be an outlaw children
Just like Jesse, like Jesse James
Just like Jesse boy
Don't you wanna swim the ocean
Don't you wanna climb the highest tree
Pick some of Mama's loving potion
Touch your woman 'till she just cant see
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Just a poor boy caught on the skids
Don't you wanna be an outlaw children
Just like Billy, just like Billy the Kid
Billy he was a bad boy
He won the wild west
By the year of 21, had many notches on the gun
Someone laid him to an early grave
Dont you wanna climb a mountain
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
Jesse he was a bad boy
He won the wild west
And many notches on the gun, by the year of 21
Someone laid him to an early rest
Dont you wanna climb a mountain
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
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Just like Jesse, just like Jesse, just like Jesse
Whoa whoa whoa Notes:
Probably, "Do you wanna be an outlaw" is an aka for this song.
The ballad of Jesse James - Version 2 (live?)
Don't you wanna climb a mountain
Don't you wanna ride the river
Drink from a magic fountain
Give a 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
Don't you wanna swim the ocean
Don't you wanna climb the highest tree
Drink some of Mama's loving potion
Don't you wanna dream some fantasy
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Just a poor boy caught on the skids
Don't you wanna be an outlaw children
Just like Billy, just like Billy the Kid
Billy he was a bad boy
He won the wild west
By the year of 21, had many notches on the gun
Someone laid him to an early grave
Don't you wanna climb a mountain
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
Jesse he was a bad boy
He won the wild west
And many notches on the gun, by the year of 21
Someone laid him to an early rest
Don't you wanna climb a mountain
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
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Don't you wanna be an outlaw
Just like Jesse, just like Jesse, just like Jesse
Whoa whoa whoa Notes:
Probably, "Do you wanna be an outlaw" is an aka for this song.
This song has never been published on any official release.
Very few performances of this songs are known (to me, at least!):
- 01/09/1971 Garfield park, Long Branch,NJ ,USA during the BSB period
- 30/10/1971 Vcu Gym, Richmond,VA ,USA during the BSB period
- 17/12/1971 Rutgers University, New Brunswick,NJ ,USA during the BSB period
- 25/01/1972 Challenger Eastern Surfboards, Highlands,NJ ,USA during the BSB period
note: this date is only indicative of the general period
- 28/04/2017 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database
First known live performance: 01/09/1971 Garfield park, Long Branch,NJ ,USA
Last known live performance: 28/04/2017 Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park,NJ ,USA
Song 'history':
During the early years (1965-1972), played live (at least) 4 time(s) with the Bruce Springsteen Band.
.
Keep in mind that only a small amount of the setlists of these years has surfaced, so it may have been played a lot more.
Apart from the above live performances, the song was recorded for the Laurel Canyon / London Publishing demos
The song was also played in informal happenings or off-tour appearances
Data from the www.brucespringsteen.it database