Digital Tradition Mirror

Steamboat Bill

(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

Steamboat Bill

Down the Mississippi steamed the Whipporwill
Commanded by the pilot, Mister Steamboat Bill
The owners gave him orders on the strict Q.T.
To try to beat the record of the Robert E. Lee.

Just speed up your fire, let the old smoke roll
Burn up all your cargo if you run out of coal
"If we don't beat that record," Billy told the mate
"Then the Maiden Care'll beat us to the Golden Gate."

CHORUS NO. 1:

Oh, Steamboat Bill, steamin' down the Mississippi
Steamboat Bill, a mighty man was he
Oh, Steamboat Bill, steamin' down the Mississippi
Gonna beat the record of the Robert E. Lee.

Up then stepped a gambling man from Louisville
Who tried to get a bet against the Whippoorwill
Billy clasped the roll and surely was some bear
The boiler it exploded, blew them up in the air.

The gambler said to Billy as they left the wreck
"I don't know where we're going but we're neck and neck."
Said Billy to the gambler, "Tell you what I'll do;
I'll bet another thousand I'll go higher than you!"

CHORUS NO. 2:

Oh, Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi
Oh, Steamboat Bill, the pilot made him swear
Oh, Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi
An explosion of the boiler put him up in the air!

The river's all in mourning now for Steamboat Bill
No more you'll hear the popping of the Whippoorwill
There's crepe on every steamboat that plows the stream
From Memphis right to Natchez, down to New Orleans.

The wife of Mister William was at home in bed
When she got the telegram that Steamboat's dead
Said she to the children, "Blessed Honey Lambs
The next papa that you have'll be a railroad man!"

CHORUS NO. 3:

Oh, Steamboat Bill, missing 'long the Mississippi
Oh, Steamboat Bill is with an angel band
Oh, Steamboat Bill, missing 'long the Mississippi
He's a fireman on a ferry in the Promised Land!

A 1940s rip-off of Casey Jones
XX
Oct00

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!