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Frank and Jesse James Lyrics by Warren Zevon

I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)

1976

[Verse 1]
On a small Missouri farm
Back when the west was young
Two boys learned to rope and ride
And be handy with a gun
War broke out between the states
And they joined up with Quantrill
And it was over in Clay County
That Frank and Jesse finally learned to kill

[Chorus]
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
'Til you clear your names
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James

[Verse 2]
After Appomattox
They was on the losin' side
So no amnesty was granted
And as outlaws, they did ride
They rode against the railroads
And they rode against the banks
And they rode against the governor
Never did they ask for a word of thanks

[Chorus]
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
'Til you clear your names
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Across the prairies and the plains
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James, woo

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 3]
Robert Ford, a gunman
In exchange for his parole
Took the life of James the outlaw
Which he snuck up on and stole
No one knows just where they came to be misunderstood
But the poor Missouri farmers knew
That Frank and Jesse do the best they could

[Chorus]
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
'Til you clear your names
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James
Well, Frank and Jesse James
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
'Til you clear your names
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on ridin', ridin', ridin'
Frank and Jesse James

About “Frank and Jesse James” by Warren Zevon

Read the complete lyrics to "Frank and Jesse James" by Warren Zevon from the album "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)" in 1976. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Soft Rock, Rock.

"Frank and Jesse James" is performed by Warren Zevon. from the album "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)" in 1976 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Frank and Jesse James", explore more songs by Warren Zevon using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Warren Zevon · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Frank and Jesse James" is credited to Warren Zevon. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Frank and Jesse James" appears on "I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (An Anthology)" in 1976.

Visit the Warren Zevon artist page at /artist/warren-zevon for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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