Digital Tradition Mirror

Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
Pennywhistle notation and Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel
(Daniel Decatur Emmett)

I jest arrived in town fo' to pass the time away,
And I settled all my bizness accordin'
But I found it so cold when I went up de street
Dat I wished I was on de oder side ob Jordan.

cho: So take off your coat, boys, and roll up your sleeves,
     For Jordan is a hard road to trabel,
     So take off your coat, boys, and roll up your sleeves,
     For Jordan is a hard road to trabel, I believe.

I look to the East I look to the West
And I see ole Kossuth a-comin'
With four bay horses hitched up in front,
To tote his money to de oder side ob Jordan.

David and Goliath both had a fight
A cullud man come up behind 'em,
He hit Goliath on de head wid a bar of soft soap
And it sounded to de oder side ob Jordan.

If I was de legislator ob dese United States
I'd settle de fish question accordin'.
I'd give de British all de bones and de Yankees all de meat
And stretch de boundary line to de oder side ob Jordan.

Der's been excitin' times for de las' year or two
About de great Presidential election
Frank Pierce got elected and sent a hasty plate ob soup
To his opponent on de oder side ob Jordan.

Louis Napoleon after all is emperor of France
And all Europe begins to tremble accordin.
But the Yankees don't care for if with us he wants to fight
He'll wish he'd staid on de oder side ob Jordan.
  So take off, &c.

RG

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!