I had a friend and his name was Joe
And we went a -herding cows
when the sun was low
The cattle stampeded
and we couldn't get ahead
Now my friend Joe is dead
Oh, see them buzzards,
see them buzzards flying low
Oh, see them buzzards flying over Joe
Oh, shoot them buzzards,
shoot them buzzards flying around,
and bury poor Joe in the ground.
My leg is broken and I can't get away,
but the boys will be here by the end of day.
It won't help Joe as he lies on the ground,
where the big long horns
knocked him down.
Oh, see them buzzards,
see them buzzards flying low.
Oh, see them buzzards flying over Joe.
Oh, shoot them buzzards,
shoot them buzzards, flyin' round,
and bury poor Joe in the ground.
Joe had a girl, and she was true.
When she hears about this,
she won't know what to do.
She loved him well, in her simple way.
If she were here, she would say,
Oh, see them buzzards,
see them buzzards flyin' low
Oh, see them buzzards flyin' over Joe
Oh, shoot them buzzards,
shoot them buzzards flyin' around
And bury poor Joe in the ground