Classic Poem

Oh do you remember sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide prairies with her lover Ike?
With two yoke of oxen, a big yeller dog,
A tall Shanghai rooster, and one spotted hog.

CHORUS :
Sing-a oralei, oralei, oralei aye,
Sing-a oralei, oralei, oralei aye.

Out on the prairie one bright starry night,
They broke out the whisky and Betsy got tight;
She sang and she shouted and danced o'er the plain,
And made a great show for the whole wagon train.
CHORUS

The Injuns came down in a wild yelling horde,
And Betsy was skeered they would scalp her adored;
Behind the front wagon wheel Betsy did crawl,
And fought off the Injuns with musket and ball.
CHORUS

They soon reached the desert, where Betsy gave out,
And down in the sand she lay rolling about;
While Ike in great terror looked on in surprise,
Saying, “Get up now, Betsy, you'll get sand in your eyes.”
CHORUS

The wagon tipped over with a terrible crash,
And out on the prairie rolled all sorts of trash;
A few little baby clothes done up with care,
Looked rather suspicious—though 'twas all on the square.
CHORUS

The Shanghai ran off and the cattle all died,
The last piece of bacon that morning was fried;
Poor Ike got discouraged, and Betsy got mad,
The dog wagged his tail and looked wonderfully sad.
CHORUS

They swam the wide rivers and crossed the tall peaks,
And camped on the prairie for weeks upon weeks.
Starvation and cholera and hard work and slaughter,
They reached California spite of hell and high water.
CHORUS

Long Ike and sweet Betsy attended a dance,
Where Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants;
Sweet Betsy was covered with ribbons and rings,
Said Ike, “You're an angel, but where are your wings?”
CHORUS

A miner said, “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?
Doggone you, I'm chock-full of strong alkali.”
CHORUS

Long Ike and sweet Betsy got married of course
But Ike, getting jealous, obtained a divorce;
And Betsy, well satisfied, said with a shout,
“Good-by, you big lummux, I'm glad you backed out.”
CHORUS