Christy Moore - Lakes Of Pontchartrain lyrics

It was one fine March morning, I bid New Orleans Adieu And I took the road to Jackson Town, my fortune to renew I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain Which filled my heart with a longing for, the Lakes of Ponchartrain I stepped on board of a railroad car beneath the morning sun I rode the rods till evening and I laid me down again All strangers there no friends to me 'til a dark girl towards me came And I fell in love with the Creole Girl, by the Lakes of Ponchartrain I said "Me pretty Creole Girl, me money here's no good, If it weren't for the alligators, I'd sleep out there in the wood" "You're welcome here kind stranger, Our house is very plain" "But we never turned a stranger out, by the Lakes of Ponchartrain" She took me into her mammy's house and treated me right well The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell To try and paint here beauty, I'm sure 'twould be in vain So handsome was my Creole girl by the Lakes of Ponchartrain I asked her if she'd marry me, she said that ne'er could be For she had got a lover and he was far at sea She said that she would wait for him and true she would remain Till he'd return to his Creole girl, on the Lakes of Ponchartrain It's fare thee well, me Creole girl, I'll never see you more I'll never forget your kindness in the cottage by the shore And at each social gathering, a flowing bowl I'll drain And I'll drink a health to my Creole girl, by the Lakes of Ponchartrain