Digital Tradition Mirror

Hunters of Kentucky

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Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Hunters of Kentucky
(Samuel Woodworth)

Ye gentlemen and ladies fair,
Who grace this famous city,
Just listen if you've time to spare
While I rehearse a ditty,
And for the opportunity
Conceive yourself quite lucky,
For 'tis not often that you see
A hunter from Kentucky.

Oh, Kentucky, The hunters of Kentucky.

We are a hardy, free-born race,
Each man to fear a stranger;
Whate'er the game we join in chase,
Despoiling time and danger;
And if a darling foe annoys,
Whate'er his strength and forces,
We'll show him that Kentucky boys
Are alligator horses.

I s'pose you've read it in the prints,
How Packenham attempted
To make old Hickory Jackson wince,
But soon his scheme repented;
For we, with rifles cocked,
Thought such occasion lucky,
And soon around the gen'ral flocked
The hunters of Kentucky.

You've heard, I s'pose, how New Orleans
Is famed for wealth and beauty,
There's girls of ev'ry hue it seems,
From snowy white to sooty;
So Packenham he made his brags,
If he in fight was lucky,
He'd have their girls and cotton bags,
In spite of old Kentucky.

But Jackson, he was wide awake,
And was not scared of trifles;
For well he knew what aim we take
With our Kentucky rifles;
He led us down to Cypress Swamp,
The ground was low and mucky;
There stood John Bull in pomp,
And here was old Kentucky.


They did not let our patience tire,
Before they showed their faces;
We did not choose to waste our fire,
So snugly kept our places.
But when so near we saw them wink,
We thought it time to stop 'em,
And 'twould have done you good I think,
To see Kentucky drop 'em.

A bank was rais'd to hide our breasts,
Not that we thought of dying,
But that we always like to rest,
Unless the game is flying.
Behind it stood our little force,
None wished it to be greater,
For ev'ry man was half a horse,
And half an alligator.

They found, at last, 'twas vain to fight,
Where lead was all the booty,
And so they wisely took to flight,
And left us all our beauty.
And now, if danger e'er annoys,
Remember what our trade is,
Just send for us Kentucky boys,
And we'll protect ye,ladies.

DT #369
Laws A25
JY

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!