Oh! Dat Low Bridge! by Edward Harrigan (Lyrics), Dave Braham (Music)
Oh! Dat Low Bridge! (or Oh! That Low Bridge! is a song written in 1885 about about life on the Erie Canal.
Song from Edward Harrigan's comedy, "The Grip," 1885, David Braham Pub., New York, Wm. A. Pond & Co.
A modern recording of OH! Dat Low Bridge! by Dave Ruch.
OH! Dat Low Bridge! Lyrics
It's many miles to Buffalo (Oh that low bridge!)
Balky mule he travels slow (Oh that low bridge!)
There's gravel on the towpath, there's hornets in the sand,
Oh pity poor canallers that's so far away from land.
Chorus:
Look Out! That Low Bridge, Look Out! That low bridge!
The captain, cook and all the crew,
oh duck your heads way down
The fastest boat in all the fleet,
"Two Sisters," come to town.
There's many locks to shut you in (Oh that low bridge!)
Every worm must learn to swim (Oh that low bridge!)
We're loaded down with barley, and timber from the west,
Now every poor canaller, now do your level best.
Chorus
We're froze up in the winter time (Oh that low bridge!)
Summer, how the sun do shine (Oh that low bridge!)
In rain or stormy weather, the captain's on the poop
All huddled up together, like chickens in a coop.
Chorus
There's groceries in the cabin thar (Oh that low bridge!)
Never leaks, she's full of tar (Oh that low bridge!)
There's freckles on the children, there's glanders on the mule
Mosquitoes by the million that keep that golden rule.
Chorus