Lakes of Pontchartrain

It was on one fine March morning When I bid New Orleans adieu And I was on the road to Jackson town My fortunes to renew I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain Which filled my heart with longin' for The Lakes of Pontchartrain I sat on board a railway car Beneath the morning sun And I rode the rails 'til evening When I laid me down again All strangers there, no friends to me 'Til a dark girl towards me came And I fell in love with a Creole girl On the Lakes of Pontchartrain I said, "My pretty Creole girl My money here's no good If it weren't for the alligators I would sleep out in the woods" "You're welcome here kind stranger Our house is very plain But we never turn a stranger out On the Lakes of Pontchartrain" She took me into her momma's house And treated me right well Her hair upon her shoulder In jet black ringlets fell To try to paint her beauty I'm sure would be in vain So handsome was my Creole girl On the Lakes of Pontchartrain I asked her would she'd marry me and she said it never would be For she had got another and he was off at sea She said that she would wait for him And faithful she'd remain Waiting for her sailor On the Lakes of Pontchartrain So fare you well my Bonny ol' girl I will never see you no more I wont forget your kindness In that cottage by the shore And at every social gathering A golden glass I'll drink And I'll drink all health to the Creole girl On the Lakes of Pontchartrain