Lakes Of Pontchartrain

alternatively , you could use Bm7 instead of Em , which isn’t how it is in the actual song , but sounds quite good . G D Em it was on one fine march morning C G D G when i bid new orleans adieu . G D Em C and i was on the road to jackson town , G D C my fortunes to renew . G D Em C i cursed all foreign money , G D C no credit could i gain , G D Em which filled my heart with longing C G D G for the lakes of pontchartrain . i sat on board a railway car beneath the morning sun , and i rode the rails ’til evening when i lay me down again . all strangers there no friends to me , ’til a dark girl towards me came , and i fell in love with a creole girl on the lakes of pontchartrain . i said , ’my pretty creole girl , my money here’s no good . if it weren’t for the alligators i would sleep out in the woods . ’ ’you’re welcome here , kind stranger . our house is very plain , but we never turn a stranger out on the lakes of pontchartrain . ’ she took me up to her mama’s house , and treated me right well . he hair upon her shoulders in jet - black ringlets fell . to try to paint her beauty i’m sure ’twould be in vain , so handsome was my creole girl on the lakes of pontchartrain . i asked her would she marry me , but she said it never would be , for she had got a lover and he was off at sea . she said that she would wait for him , and faithful she’d remain , waiting for her sailor on the lakes of pontchartrain . so fare you well , my bonny ol’ girl . i may never see you no more , but i won’t forget your kindness in that cottage by the shore . at every social gathering a golden glass i’ll drain , and i’ll drink a health to the creole girl on the lakes of pontchartrain .