(The Street of Laredo, or A Cowboy’s Lament, is an Americanized adaptation of an old English folk song, recorded by dozens of male country stars of the late 1900s as well as several women and artists of other genres, the most notable rendition Marty Robbins’ classic in 1960. This version begs forgiveness of all those artists.)
As I walked out in the streets of Chicago,
As I walked out in Chicago one day.
I spied a poor Sox fan, wrapped in a team jersey,
Wrapped in a team jersey and cold as the clay.
“I can see by your outfit that you’re a White Sox fan,”
These words he did say as I slowly passed by,
“Come sit down beside me and hear my sad story,
For my fandom is shot and my spirit must die.