Joe Bowers

VERSE 1
My name it tis Joe Bowers
I have a brother Ike
I came from old Missouri
And all th way from Pike

VERSE 2
I'll tell you why I came here
And why I came to roam
To leave my dear old mother
So far away from home

VERSE 3
I used to court a gal there
Whose name was Sally Black
I asked her if she'd marry me
She said, it was a whack

VERSE 4
She said to me, Joe Bowers,
You are the man to win
Here's a kiss to bind th bargin,
An' she hooves a dozen in

VERSE 5
I said to her, dear Sally,
O, Sally for your sake
I'll go to California
And try to make a stake

VERSE 6
Says, she to me, Joe Bowers
Before we hitch for life
You ought to get a little home
To keep your little wife

VERSE 7
I went to California
Put in my biggest licks
Went down upon th boulders
Just like a thousand bricks

VERSE 8
I worked both late an' early
In rain and sun and snow
I was working for my Sally
It was all th same to Joe

VERSE 9
At length, I got a letter
From my dear brother Ike
It came from old Missouri
And all th way from Pike

VERSE 10
It brought to me, th darndest news
That ever I did hear
My heart was almost bursting
Was almost in despair

VERSE 11
It says, that Sal was false to me
Her love to me had fled
She got married to a butcher
And th butchers hair was red

VERSE 12
And more than that, th letter said,
Enough to make you swear
That Sally had a baby
And th baby had red hair

OTHER COLLECTIONS:
Randolph: II-187 Joe Bowers
Belden: p. 341 Joe Bowers
Brown: II-258 Joe Bowers