Jesse James

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Track 2 of We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, 2006. Billy Gashade.

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Credits

• We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006)
  • Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar
  • Sam Bardfeld: backing vocals
  • Frank Bruno: guitar, backing vocals
  • Jeremy Chatzky: double bass
  • Mark Clifford: banjo
  • Larry Eagle: drums, percussion
  • Charles Giordano: accordion
  • Ed Manion: saxophone
  • Mark Pender: backing vocals
  • Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg: trombone, backing vocals
  • Soozie Tyrell: violin, backing vocals

Performances

Performed live 64 times (not including snippet performances). 2015-05-16 Tribeca Grill, New York City, NY 2014-05-17 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT 2014-05-06 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX 2014-05-03 New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA 2014-05-01 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL 2006-11-21 Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland 2006-11-19 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-11-18 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-11-17 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-11-14 Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, England 2006-11-12 Wembley Arena, London, England 2006-11-11 Wembley Arena, London, England 2006-11-09 NEC Arena, Birmingham, England 2006-11-07 Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium 2006-11-06 Kölnarena, Cologne, Germany 2006-10-30 Globen, Stockholm, Sweden 2006-10-29 Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway 2006-10-28 Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark 2006-10-25 Pabellón Deportivo, Santander, Spain 2006-10-24 Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, Spain 2006-10-22 Plaza De Toros De Granada, Granada, Spain 2006-10-21 Estadi Ciutat De València, València, Spain 2006-10-19 Plaza De Toros De Las Ventas, Madrid, Spain 2006-10-13 Sportpaleis Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 2006-10-12 Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany 2006-10-10 PalaLottomatica, Rome, Italy 2006-10-08 PalaMaggiò, Caserta, Italy 2006-10-07 Arena Santa Giuliana, Perugia, Italy 2006-10-05 Arena Di Verona, Verona, Italy 2006-10-04 Villa Manin, Udine, Italy 2006-10-02 PalaIsozaki, Turin, Italy 2006-10-01 PalaMalaguti, Bologna, Italy 2006-06-25 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ 2006-06-24 PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, NJ 2006-06-22 Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY 2006-06-20 Tweeter Center At The Waterfront, Camden, NJ 2006-06-19 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY 2006-06-17 DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI 2006-06-16 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 2006-06-14 Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI 2006-06-13 First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, IL 2006-06-11 Xcel Energy Center, Saint Paul, MN 2006-06-10 Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA 2006-06-06 Sleep Train Pavilion, Concord, CA 2006-06-05 Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 2006-06-03 Glendale Arena, Glendale, AZ 2006-05-31 Verizon Wireless Music Center, Noblesville, IN 2006-05-30 Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, OH 2006-05-28 Nissan Pavilion, Bristow, VA 2006-05-27 Tweeter Center For The Performing Arts, Mansfield, MA 2006-05-21 Hovet, Stockholm, Sweden 2006-05-20 Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway 2006-05-17 Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany 2006-05-16 Heineken Music Hall, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2006-05-14 Pavelló Olímpic De Badalona, Barcelona, Spain 2006-05-12 DatchForum, Milan, Italy 2006-05-10 Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy, Paris, France 2006-05-08 Hammersmith Apollo, London, England 2006-05-07 Manchester Evening News Arena, Manchester, England 2006-05-05 Point Theatre (The), Dublin, Ireland 2006-04-30 New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA 2006-04-25 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2006-04-24 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ 2006-04-20 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, NJ

Performances broken down by tour (not including rehearsals and snippet performances) Performed at 0 show(s) of 130 on the 2023-25 International Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 266 on the Springsteen On Broadway run. Performed at 0 show(s) of 14 on the Summer '17 Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 75 on the The River Tour 2016. Performed at 4 show(s) of 33 on the High Hopes Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 133 on the Wrecking Ball Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 83 on the Working On A Dream Tour. Performed at 0 show(s) of 99 on the Magic Tour. Performed at 56 show(s) of 56 on The Seeger Sessions Tour. Performed at 1 known other show(s), plus 3 public tour rehearsal(s).

Released on Album

Released on We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (2006).

A live version is released on Live In Dublin (2007) (recorded November 18, 2006).

Released as Live Download

Live versions are available on the following 6 official live downloads:

• 2014-05-17 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT
• 2014-05-06 Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX
• 2014-05-01 MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL
• 2006-11-11 Wembley Arena, London, England
• 2006-10-10 PalaLottomatica, Rome, Italy
• 2006-04-30 New Orleans Fair Grounds, New Orleans, LA

On The Tracks

JESSE JAMES V1a		uncirculating
JESSE JAMES V1b	3:46	WSO

Note: The first song recorded at the first of the three Seeger Sessions on November 2, 1997. Some minor overdubs were completed later, including Mark Pender's backing vocals.

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^{Studio Sessions: The Seeger Sessions}

Media

Lyrics

Jesse James

Jesse James was a lad that killed many a man
He robbed the Glendale train
He stole from the rich and he gave to the poor
He'd a hand and a heart and a brain

Well it was Robert Ford, that dirty little coward
I wonder now how he feels
For he ate of Jesse's bread and he slept in Jesse's bed
And he laid poor Jesse in his grave

Poor Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
Three children now they were brave
Well that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
He laid poor Jesse in his grave

Now Jesse was a man, a friend to the poor
He'd never rob a mother or a child
There never was a man with the law in his hand
That could take Jesse James when alive

It was on a Saturday night and the moon was shining bright
They robbed the Glendale train
And people they did say o'er many miles away
It was those outlaws, they're Frank and Jesse James

Well Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
Three children now they were brave
Well that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
He laid poor Jesse in his grave

Now the people held their breath when they heard of Jesse's death
They wondered how he'd ever come to fall
Robert Ford, it was a fact, he shot Jesse in the back
While Jesse hung a picture on the wall

Now Jesse went to rest with his hand on his breast
The devil upon his knee
He was born one day in the County Clay
And he came from a solitary race

Well Jesse had a wife to mourn for his life
Three children now they were brave
Well that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard
He laid poor Jesse in his grave
Woah!

Come on boys!

Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.

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