# – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – please note – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – #
#this file is the author’s own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song . you may only use this file for private study , scholarship , or research . #
# – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – #
tabbed by jack dingler
weaseldog2001@yahoo . com
sweet betsy from pike
john A . stone?
circa 1847?
G D G
did you ever hear tell of sweet betsy from pike ,
Em D
who crossed the wide mountains with her lover ike ,
G C G
two yoke of cattle , a large yeller dog ,
D G
a tall shanghai rooster , and a one – spotted hog .
singing too – ra – li – oo – ra – li – oo – ra – li – ay .
they swam the wide rivers and crossed the tall peaks ,
and camped on the prairie for weeks upon weeks .
starvation and cholera , hard work and slaughter – –
they reached california ’spite of hell and high water .
one evening quite early they camped on the platte ,
twas near by the road on a green shady flat .
betsy , sore – footed , lay down to repose – –
with wonder ike gazed on that pike county rose .
out on the prairie one bright , starry night ,
they broke out the whiskey , and betsy got tight .
she sang and she shouted and she danced o’er the plain ,
and she showed her bare arse to the whole wagon train .
the injuns came down in a thundering horde ,
and betsy was scared they would scalp her adored .
so under the wagon – bed betsy did crawl
and she fought off the injuns with musket and ball .
the wagon broke down 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 , but all on the square .
they stopped at salt lake to inquire of the way ,
when brigham declared that sweet betsy should stay .
betsy got frightened and ran like a deer ,
while brigham stood pawing the ground like a steer .
the alkali desert was burning and bare ,
and isaac’s soul shrank from the death that lurked there .
“dear old pike county , i’ll go back to you” – –
says betsy , “you’ll go by yourself if you do!”
they soon reached the desert , where betsy gave out ,
and down in the sand she lay rolling about .
ike in great wonder looked on in surprise ,
saying , “betsy , get up , you’ll get sand in your eyes . ”
sweet betsy got up in a great deal of pain .
she declared she’d go back to pike county again .
ike gave a sigh , and they fondly embraced ,
and they traveled along with his arm round her waist .
the shanghai ran off , and the cattle all died ,
that morning the last piece of bacon was fried .
ike got discouraged , betsy got mad ,
the dog drooped his tail and looked wonderfully sad .
they suddenly stopped on a very high hill ,
with wonder looked down upon old placerville .
ike said to betsy , as he cast his eyes down ,
“sweet betsy , my darling , we’ve got to hangtown . ”
long ike and sweet betsy attended a dance .
ike wore a pair of his pike county pants .
betsy was covered with ribbons and rings .
says ike , “you’re an angel , but where is your wings?”
a miner said , “betsy , will you dance with me?”
“i will that , old hoss , if you don’t make too free .
don’t dance me hard , do you want to know why?
doggone you , i’m chock – full of strong alkali . ”
this pike county couple got married , of course ,
but ike became jealous , and obtained a divorce .
betsy , well – satisfied , said with a shout ,
“goodby , you big lummox , i’m glad you backed out!”
# – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – please note – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – #
#this file is the author’s own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song . you may only use this file for private study , scholarship , or research . #
# – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – #
tabbed by jack dingler
weaseldog2001@yahoo . com
sweet betsy from pike
john A . stone?
circa 1847?
G D G
did you ever hear tell of sweet betsy from pike ,
Em D
who crossed the wide mountains with her lover ike ,
G C G
two yoke of cattle , a large yeller dog ,
D G
a tall shanghai rooster , and a one – spotted hog .
singing too – ra – li – oo – ra – li – oo – ra – li – ay .
they swam the wide rivers and crossed the tall peaks ,
and camped on the prairie for weeks upon weeks .
starvation and cholera , hard work and slaughter – –
they reached california ’spite of hell and high water .
one evening quite early they camped on the platte ,
twas near by the road on a green shady flat .
betsy , sore – footed , lay down to repose – –
with wonder ike gazed on that pike county rose .
out on the prairie one bright , starry night ,
they broke out the whiskey , and betsy got tight .
she sang and she shouted and she danced o’er the plain ,
and she showed her bare arse to the whole wagon train .
the injuns came down in a thundering horde ,
and betsy was scared they would scalp her adored .
so under the wagon – bed betsy did crawl
and she fought off the injuns with musket and ball .
the wagon broke down 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 , but all on the square .
they stopped at salt lake to inquire of the way ,
when brigham declared that sweet betsy should stay .
betsy got frightened and ran like a deer ,
while brigham stood pawing the ground like a steer .
the alkali desert was burning and bare ,
and isaac’s soul shrank from the death that lurked there .
“dear old pike county , i’ll go back to you” – –
says betsy , “you’ll go by yourself if you do!”
they soon reached the desert , where betsy gave out ,
and down in the sand she lay rolling about .
ike in great wonder looked on in surprise ,
saying , “betsy , get up , you’ll get sand in your eyes . ”
sweet betsy got up in a great deal of pain .
she declared she’d go back to pike county again .
ike gave a sigh , and they fondly embraced ,
and they traveled along with his arm round her waist .
the shanghai ran off , and the cattle all died ,
that morning the last piece of bacon was fried .
ike got discouraged , betsy got mad ,
the dog drooped his tail and looked wonderfully sad .
they suddenly stopped on a very high hill ,
with wonder looked down upon old placerville .
ike said to betsy , as he cast his eyes down ,
“sweet betsy , my darling , we’ve got to hangtown . ”
long ike and sweet betsy attended a dance .
ike wore a pair of his pike county pants .
betsy was covered with ribbons and rings .
says ike , “you’re an angel , but where is your wings?”
a miner said , “betsy , will you dance with me?”
“i will that , old hoss , if you don’t make too free .
don’t dance me hard , do you want to know why?
doggone you , i’m chock – full of strong alkali . ”
this pike county couple got married , of course ,
but ike became jealous , and obtained a divorce .
betsy , well – satisfied , said with a shout ,
“goodby , you big lummox , i’m glad you backed out!”
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