Re: CHAT: folk songs

You want folk songs?  Here you go!!!


Buffalo Gals
As I was walking down the street
Down the street, down the street,
A pretty gal I chance to meet
Under the silvery moon.

Chorus:
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight?
Come out tonight, Come out tonight?
Buffalo gals, won't you come out tonight,
And dance by the light of the moon.

I asked her if she'd stop and talk,
Stop and talk, Stop and talk,
Her feet covered up the whole sidewalk,
She was fair to view.
(Chorus)

I asked her if she'd be my wife,
Be my wife, be my wife
Then I'd be happy all my life,
If she'd marry me.
(Chorus)


The Old Oaken Bucket
How dear to my heart are the scenes of my childhood
When fond recollection presents them to view
The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood,
And ev'ry loved spot which my infancy knew
The wide spreading pond, and the mill that stood by it,
The bridge and the rock where the cataract fell;
The cot of my father, the dairy house nigh it,
And e'en the rude bucket that hung in the well.
The old oaken bucket, the iron bound bucket,
The moss covered bucket that hung in the well.

The moss covered bucket I hailed as a treasure,
For often at noon, when returned from the field,
I found it the source of an exquisite pleasure,
The purest and sweetest that nature can yield.
How ardent I seized it, with hands that were glowing,
And quick to the white pebbled bottom it fell
Then soon, with the emblem of turth overflowing,
And dripping with coolness, it rose from the well.
The old oaken bucket, the iron bound bucket,
The moss covered bucket that hung in the well.


Turkey in the Straw
As I was a-gwine down the road,
With a tired team and a heavy load,
I crack'd my whip and the leader sprung,
I says day-day to the wagon tongue.

Chorus:
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a high tuckahaw
And twist 'em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw.

Went out to milk, and I didn't know how,
I milked the goat instead of the cow.
A monkey sittin' on a pile of straw,
A-winkin' at his mother-in-law.
(Chorus)

Met Mr. Catfish comin' down stream.
Says Mr. Catfish, "What does you mean?"
Caught Mr. Catfish by the snout,
And turned Mr. Catfish wrong side out.
(Chorus)

Came to a river and I couldn't get across,
Paid five dollars for a blind old hoss;
Wouldn't go ahead, nor he wouldn't stand still,
So he went up and down like an old saw mill.
(Chorus)

As I came down the new cut road,
Met Mr. Bullfrog, met Miss Toad
And every time Miss Toad would sing,
Old Bullfrog cut a pigeon wing.
(Chorus)

Oh I jumped in the seat and I gave a little yell
The horses ran away, broke the wagon all to hell
Sugar in the gourd and honey in the horn
I never been so happy since the day I was born.
(Chorus)


Darling Clementine
In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner forty niner,
And his daughter Clementine

Chorus
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine

Light she was and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes, without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine.
(Chorus)

Drove she ducklings to the water
Ev'ry morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
(Chorus)

Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles, soft and fine,
But, alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine.
(Chorus)

How I missed her! How I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
But I kissed her little sister,
I forgot my Clementine.
(Chorus)


I've Been Working on the Railroad
I've been working on the railroad
All the livelong day
I've been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away

Can't you hear the whistle blowing
Rise up so early in the morn
Can't you hear the captain shouting
Dinah, blow your horn

Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow your horn
Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow your horn

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen I know
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo, and singing

Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Strumming on the old banjo


Sweet Betsey from Pike
Oh, do you remember Sweet Betsey from Pike
Who crossed the wide prairie with her lover Ike?
With two yoke of oxen, a big yellow dog,
A tall Shanghai rooster, and one spotted hog.

Chorus:
Hoodle dang, fol-de-dye do,
hoodle dang, fol-de day.

Out on the prairie one bright starry night,
They broke out the whisky and Betsey got tight;
She sang and she shouted and danced o'er the plain,
And made a great show for the whole wagon train.
(Chorus)

The Injuns came down in a wild yelling horde,
And Betsey was skeered they would scalp her adored;
Behind the front wagon wheel Betsey did crawl,
And fought off the Injuns with musket and ball.
(Chorus)

They soon reached the desert, where Betsey gave out,
And down in the sand she lay rolling about;
While Ike in great terror looked on in surprise,
Saying, "Get up now, Betsey, you'll get sand in your eyes."
(Chorus)

The wagon tipped over with a terrible crash,
And out on the prairie rolled all sorts of trash;
A few little baby clothes done up with care
Looked rather suspicious - though 'twas all on the square.
(Chorus)

The Shanghai ran off and the cattle all died,
The last piece of bacon that morning was fried;
Poor Ike got discouraged, and Betsy got mad,
The dog wagged his tail and looked wonderfully sad.
(Chorus)

They swam the wide rivers and cross the tall peaks,
And camped on the prairie for weeks upon weeks,
Starvation and cholera and hard work and slaughter,
They reached California spite of hell and high water.
(Chorus)

Long Ike and sweet Betsey attended a dance,
Where Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants;
Sweet Betsey was covered with ribbons and rings.
Said Ike, "You're an angel, but where are your wings?"
(Chorus)

A miner said, "Betsey, will you dance with me?"
"I will that, old hoss, if you don't make too free;
But don't dance me hard. Do you want to know why?
Doggone you, I'm chock full of strong alkali."
(Chorus)

Long Ike, and sweet Betsey got married of course,
But Ike, getting jealous, obtained a divorce;
And Betsey, well satisfied, said with a shout,
"Good-by, you big lummux, I'm glad you backed out."
(Chorus)


Red River Valley
From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened our path for a while

Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the cowboy who loved you so true

Won't you think of the valley you're leaving
Oh how lonely, how sad it will be?
Oh think of the fond heart you're breaking
And the grief you are causing to me

As you go to your home by the ocean
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchanged mid the flowers


Lilly of the West
When first I came to Louisville,
Some pleasure there to find
A damsel there from Lexington
Was pleasing to my mind
Her rosy cheeks, her ruby lips
Like arrows pierced my breast.
The name she bore was Flora
The Lily of the West.

I courted lovely Flora
And to her I was so kind,
But she went to another man
It nearly wrecked my mind.
She robbed me of my freedom,
Deprived me of my rest
Betrayed was I by Flora,
The Lily of the West.

He met her in a shady grove,
This man of high degree
I saw him kiss my Flora
And it sure did things to me.
She told me he was just a friend,
But still I was depressed,
Betrayed was I by Flora,
The Lily of the West.

I stepped up to my rival,
With my dagger in my hand
I seized him by the collar,
it's not hard to understand,
That, blinded by my jealousy,
I pierced him in the breast.
Betrayed was I by Flora,
The Lily of the West.

The trial was held, I made my plea
But 'twas of no avail,
Now I await the hangman
In a stinkin' rotten jail.
But though I give my all away
And though my life is messed,
I love my faithless Flora,
The Lily of the West.


Casey Jones
Come all you rounders that want to hear
The story of a brave engineer.
Casey Jones was the rounder's name,
On a six eight wheeler, boys, he won his fame.
The caller called Casey at half past four,
He kissed his wife at the station door,
He mounted to the cabin with the orders in his hand,
And he took his farewell trip to that promised land.
Casey Jones mounted to his cabin,
Casey Jones with his orders in his hand
Casey Jones mounted to his cabin,
And he took his farewell trip to that promised land.

When he pulled up that Reno hill,
He whistled for the crossing with an awful shrill;
The switchman knew by the engine's moan
That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones.
He looked at his water and his water was low;
He looked at his watch and his watch was slow;
He turned to his fireman and this is what he said,
Boy, we're going to reach Frisco, but we'll all be dead.
Casey Jones - going to reach Frisco
Casey Jones - but we'll all be dead,
Casey Jones - going to reach Frisco,
We're going to reach Frisco, but we'll all be dead.

So turn on your water and shovel in your coal,
Stick you head out the window, watch those drivers roll;
I'll drive her till she leaves the rail,
For I'm eight hours late by that Western Mail.
When he was within six miles of the place,
There number four stared him straight in the face.
He turned to his fireman, said Jim you'd better jump,
For there're two locomotives that are going to bump.
Casey Jones - two locomotives,
Casey Jones - going to bump,
Casey Jones - two locomotives,
There're two locomotives that are going to bump.

Casey said just before he died,
There're two more roads I would like to ride.
The fireman said, Which ones can they be?
Oh the Northern Pacific and the Santa Fe.
Mrs. Jones sat at her bed a-sighing
Just to hear the news that her Casey was dying.
Hush up children, and quit your cryin',
For you've got another poppa on the Salt Lake Line.
Casey Jones - got another poppa.
Casey Jones - on the Salt Lake Line.
Casey Jones - got another poppa.
For you've got another poppa on the Salt Lake Line.


Shenandoah
Missouri, she's a mighty river
Way-aye, you rolling river
The redskin's camp lies on its borders,
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

The white man loved the Indian maid,
Way-aye, you rolling river!
With notions his canoe was laden
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

Oh Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Way-aye, you rolling river
I'll take her 'cross yon rolling water
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

The Chief disdained the trader's dollars,
Way-aye, you rolling river
My daughter you shall never follow
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

For seven years I courted Sally,
Way-aye, you rolling river
For seven more I longed to have her
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

She said she would not be my lover
Way-aye, you rolling river
Because I was a tarry sailor
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

At last there came a Yankee skipper
Way-aye, you rolling river
He winked his eye, and he tipped his flipper
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

He sold the Chief that fire-water
Way-aye, you rolling river
And 'cross the river he stole his daughter
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!

Oh Shenandoah! I long to hear you,
Way-aye, you rolling river
Across that wide and rolling river.
A way - we're bound away
'cross the wide Missouri!