Erie Canal

We were 40 miles from Albany
 Forget it I never shall
 What a terrible storm we had one night
 On the E-R-I-E canal
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 And gin was getting low
 I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 We were loaded down with barley
 We were chuck full up on rye
 The captain, he looked down on me
 With his gol-durn wicked eye
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 And gin was getting low
 An' I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 Two days out from Syracuse
 The vessel struck a shoal
 We like to all been foundered
 On a chunk o' Lackawanna coal
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 And gin was getting low
 An' I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 We hollered to the captain
 On the towpath, treadin' dirt
 He jumped on board and stopped the leak
 With his old red flannel shirt
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 And the gin was getting low
 I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 The cook she was a grand ol' gal
 She wore a ragged dress
 We hoisted her upon the pole
 As a signal of distress
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 Gin was getting low
 I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 The winds began to whistle
 The waves began to roll
 We had to reep our royals
 On that raging canal
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 And gin was getting low
 I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 Well, when we got to Syracuse
 Off-mule he was dead
 The nigh mule he got blind staggers
 We cracked him on the head
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 The gin was getting low
 I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 The captain, he got married
 The cook, she went to jail
 And I'm the only sea cook son
 That's left to tell the tale
 Oh, the E-R-I-E was rising
 The gin was getting low
 I scarcely think we'll get a drink
 'Til we get to Buffalo
 'Til we get to Buffalo