Lyr. Add: STEAMBOAT BILL 2
Shields and Leighton Bros. 1910

Down the Mississippi steamed the Whippoorwill.
Commanded by that pilot, Mister Steamboat Bill.
The owners gave him orders on the strict Q. T.,
To try and best the record of the "Robert E. Lee."

Just feed up your fires; let the old smoke roll,
Burn up all your cargo if you run out of coal.
If we don't beat that record, Billy told the mate,
"Send my mail in care of Peter to the Golden Gate."

Chorus:
Steamboat Bill, steaming down the Mississippi,
Steamboat Bill, a mighty man was he,
Steamboat Bill, steaming down the Mississippi,
Going to beat the record of the "Robert E. Lee."

Up then stepped a gambling man from Louisville,
Who tried to get a bet against the Whippoorwill.
Billy flashed a roll that surely was a bear,
The boiler exploded, blew them up in the air.

The gambler said to Billy as they left the wreck,
"I don't know where we're going but we're neck and neck."
Says Bill to the gambler, "I'll tell you what I'll do,
I'll bet another thousand I'll go higher than you."

Chorus:
Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi,
Steamboat Bill, the tide it made him swear,
Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi,
The explosion of the boiler got him up in the air.

River's all in mourning now for Steamboat Bill,
No more you'll hear the puffing of the Whippoorwill.
There's crepe on every steamboat that plows those streams,
From Memphis down to Natchez down to New Orleans.

The wife of Mister William was at home in bed,
When she got the telegram that Steamboat's dead,
Says she to the children, "Bless each honey lamb,
The next papa that you have will be a railroad man."

Chorus:
Steamboat Bill, missing on the Mississippi,
Steamboat Bill is with an angel band,
Steamboat Bill, missing on the Mississippi,
He's a pilot on a ferry in that Promised Land.

Steamboat Bill, words Ren Shields, music Leighton Bros., copyright 1910 by F. A. Mills, NYC. Original sheet music at Levy Sheet Music.
Steamboat Bill