Big Jim Cooley commanded respect   Whatever he wanted he could get   The badge on his waistcoat shone in the sun   It ain't no lie, Big Jim was feared by everyone      In the saloon one evening Big took a bet   With a rancher whose name I forget   He wanted a herd taken over the plain   And he called Jim, "Yellow", he'll never do that again      He got mad      He threw his badge on the floor   And walked out   He's gonna give it a try   He left no doubt      Must be mad, he must be mad   The people wished him well, and good luck   "Well, I don't need it", he laughed   Got on his horse and rode away      Over on the trail, Jim and his crew of five   Were trying their best to keep the cattle alive   The weather was hard but so were the men   Though I don't think even Jim will try this trip again      His horses were edgy, sensing trouble ahead   But the trouble didn't start till the men were in bed   A-whooping and a-hollering and flashing their knives   Big Jim and his men were jumped by an all-star Indian tribe      He was scared, Big Jim was scared   Alive they called him lucky but not today   'Cause he died like all good cowboys   With his boots on next to his men      Big Jim, he still won't lie down   For him the bet is still on   Some say he rides there, cursing still   Some say they've seen him