The song plays a prominent role in the book and film "Bang the Drum Slowly", in which a version of the song is sung. The words from the title replace the words "beat the drum slowly" from the lyrics below. This in turn is the phrase used in the song "Bang the Drum Slowly" on the album "Red Dirt Girl" by Emmylou Harris. The song is featured in the films "Brokeback Mountain" and "Night on Earth". John Ford used the song in his 1948 movie "Three Godfathers" and was sung by Harry Carey Jr. . The lyrics are also (indirectly) the source of the title of Peter S. Beagle's 1965 travelogue of a cross-USA trip by Heinkel scooter, "I See by My Outfit." It was also sung by the character Al Swearengen in an episode of the TV series "Deadwood", by the character Bret Maverick in the episode 'The Belcastle Brand' of the TV series "Maverick", and by the character Martin Kellum in the episode 'Song for Dying' of the TV series "Gunsmoke". It is also memorably sung by Italian actor/comedian Roberto Benigni in Jim Jarmusch's 1986 breakout movie "Down By Law". Roberto Benigni sings "Streets of Laredo" in Jim Jarmusch's 1991 movie, "Night on Earth".