Sweet Betsy from Pike

Did you ever hear tell of sweet Betsy from Pike
Who crossed the wide prairie with old Uncle Ike
With two yoke of cattle and one spotted hog

A tall Shanghai rooster and a large yellow dog



Singin' toora-li, loora-li, loora-li, ay
Singin' toora-li, loora-li, loora-li, ay

One evening quite early they camped on the Platte
'Twas near by the road on a green shady flat
Where Betsy sore-footed lay down to repose
There was no sounder sleeper than that Pike County rose


They soon reached the desert, where Betsy gave out
And down in the sand she lay rolling about
But she got up again with a great deal of pain
And declared she'd go back to Pike County again

The Shanghai ran off and their cattle all died
That morning the last piece of bacon was fried
Poor Ike was discouraged and Betsy got mad
The dog drooped his tail and looked wondrously sad


They finally stopped on a very high hill
And with wonder looked down upon old Placerville
Ike sighed when he said as he looked all around
"Well, Betsy, my sweet, we might as well go down

Old Ike and sweet Betsy attended a dance
Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants
Sweet Betsy was covered with ribbons and rings
Says Ike, "You're an angel, but where are your wings?"


A miner asked, "Betsy, will you dance with me?"
"I will that, old hoss, if you don't make too free
"But don't dance me hard, do you want to know why?
Dog on, but I'm chock full of strong alkali"