5 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Frank And Jesse James Lyrics
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.
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
After Appomattox they were on the loosing 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.
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the prairies and the plains
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Robert Ford, a gunman,
Did 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
Frank and Jesse do the best they could.
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Well Frank and Jesse James,
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
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.
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
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.
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the prairies and the plains
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Did 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
Frank and Jesse do the best they could.
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Keep on riding, riding, riding
'Til you clear your names
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Across the rivers and the range
Keep on riding, riding, riding
Frank and Jesse James
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
I think this is a grate example of Zevon's excellent story telling abilities. His using a well known outlaw as the protagonist is the perfect example of an anti-hero (whether he intended it or not). It's also interesting that this (the first song on his self titled debut) and Desperados Under The Eaves (the last track on the same album) have identical intros (same key but different instruments) just really is amazing but I'm not sure if that meant anything or not.
This is actually a song he wrote aout the Everly Brothers. Warren used to be their musical arranger.
*about
*about
I think this song is more about making fun of those people that idolize Jesse James. You have to understand that Warren's sarcasm comes in huge abundance but is always subtle.
He wrote it as a tribute to the Everly Brothers (according to his own liner notes on "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."
He wrote it as a tribute to the Everly Brothers (according to his own liner notes on "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."
I have always professed that Warren Zevon is the greatest rhymer in rock, and this song proves it. He flawlessly rhymes Quantrill with kill, banks with thanks, etc, etc. Kind of reminds me of Billy Joel's song Billy The Kid, except that Billy was genuinely an angst-filled celebration of the outlaw/anti-hero, whereas this one, as RoxorFuxor stated, is more a sarcastic parody on the antihero theme. Anyway you look at it though, classic Zevon classic bluesy-rock. Just remarkable.
I don't know about Zevon being the best rhymer. I'd say Don McLean is a pretty darn good rhymer. Listen to a few of McLean's songs like American Pie and Vincent and you'll know what I mean. I think McLean and Zevon both have fantastic storytelling ability and Frank And Jesse James is one of many that prove the point.
I don't know about Zevon being the best rhymer. I'd say Don McLean is a pretty darn good rhymer. Listen to a few of McLean's songs like American Pie and Vincent and you'll know what I mean. I think McLean and Zevon both have fantastic storytelling ability and Frank And Jesse James is one of many that prove the point.
The great thing about Zevon is the variety of music he has lyrics-wise. The topics he writes about is just amazing. From Frank And Jesse James' history lesson to Excitable Boy's sociopath story, it's amazing.
The great thing about Zevon is the variety of music he has lyrics-wise. The topics he writes about is just amazing. From Frank And Jesse James' history lesson to Excitable Boy's sociopath story, it's amazing.
I was able to predict Walter White's death (Breaking bad antihero) from this song, during the first half of season 5 when everyone thought that he would get away with it.
After I heard this song I researched it and learned about Robert Ford the Coward. I think I watched a documentary too.
The line "Just because you kill Jesse James don't make you Jesse James". I had to watch it a few times but I blogged about it for a class.
It's hard to be humble when you're a genius [robot voice].
Here's a link to the blog: http://davidbowieub40.blogspot.com
Go down to Hazard Pay.
My brother and I are pretty good at picking up on foreshadowing and symbolism in films for some reason. I really don't know why.
My brother and I are pretty good at picking up on foreshadowing and symbolism in films for some reason. I really don't know why.
@bkabbott New screen name, I feel like a douche.
@bkabbott New screen name, I feel like a douche.
I'm studying to be an attorney and I can articulate normally if I work on editing, but apparently I just had to get this post up, so I could move to the next.
I'm studying to be an attorney and I can articulate normally if I work on editing, but apparently I just had to get this post up, so I could move to the next.
I actually saw documentaries about Jesse James and Robert Ford some years before Breaking Bad, but that reference, IMHO was a direct foreshadowing of Walter White's death.
I actually saw documentaries about Jesse James and Robert Ford some years before Breaking Bad, but that reference, IMHO was a direct foreshadowing of Walter White's death.
I'm going to click the link to the blog and see how bad it was (I was drunk when I blogged, except for Breaking Bad, when I knew it was significant,...
I'm going to click the link to the blog and see how bad it was (I was drunk when I blogged, except for Breaking Bad, when I knew it was significant, but I would have to rewind multiple times and pay attention). It was undergrad, who, with a brain wouldn't be drunk.