Lakes of Pontchartrain (AOH Irish Fest 2010)

The Irish Wolfhounds:

Such a lovely tune. I originally heard Planxty perform this, and fell in love with it right then and there. Who would have thought that a tune about a Creole girl from Louisiana wold end up in Irish tradition. We perform this at the Ancient Order of Hibernians Raleigh,NC chapter's annual Irish Music Fest on 9/11/2010.

Lyrics:
It was one bright March morning, and bid New Orleans adieu,
I road the roads to Jackson town, me fortune to renew,
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain,
Which made me heart long for the lakes of Pontchartrain.

I stepped on board a railroad car beneath the morning sun,
I rode the roads till evening, I laid me down again,
All strangers there, no friends to me, till a dark girl towards me came,
And I fell in love with a creole girl from the lakes of Pontchartrain.

I said "My bonnie creole girl, me money here's no good,
If it wasn't for the alligators, I'd sleep out in the wood"
"Kind sir, your welcome here, though our house is very plain,
We never turn a stranger out from the shores of Pontchartrain.

She took me to her mamies house and treated me quite well,
The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell,
To try and paint here picture, I'm sure would be in vain,
So handsome was my creole girl, from the lakes of Pontchartrain.

I asked her if she would marry me, She said this ne'er could be,
For she had got another and he was far at sea,
She said that she would wait for him, and true she would remain,
Till he returned for his creole girl from the lakes of Pontchartrain.

So fare the well me creole girl, you never will see me no more,
But I'll ne'er forget your kindness, in the cottage by the shore,
And at each social gathering, a flowing glass I'll raise,
And I'll drink a health to my creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• fiddle

[uptonsavoie]

The tune is common: Girls Around Cape Horn, Lilly of the West ,Blarney Roses, Paddy West's Inn, and many more.