the lakes of pontchartrain

'twas on one bright march morning

i bid new orleans adieu

and i took the road to jackson town

my fortune to renew

i cursed all foreign money

no credit could i gain

which filled my heart with longing

for the lakes of pontcahrtrain

i stepped on board of a railroad car

beneath the morning sun

i rode the rods till evening

and 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

by the lakes of pontchartrain

i said my pretty creole girl

my money here's no good

and if it weren't for the alligators

i'd sleep out in the wood

you're welcome here kind stranger