Sweet Betsy From Pike

Don't you remember sweet Betsy from Pike
Who crossed the wide plains with her true lover, Ike
With two yoke of cattle and and an old yaller dog
A shanghai rooster and an old spotted hog?

They camped the first night at the edge of big Platte
Down on the river bottom on a nice shady flat
Where Betsy, quite tired, lay down to repose
While in wonder Ike gazed on his Pike County rose

They soon reached the desert where Betsy gave out
And down in the sand she lay rolling about
While Ike in great tears looked on in surprise
Saying "Betsy get up you'll get sand in your eyes"

Sweet Betsy got up in a great deal of pain
And declared she'd go back to Pike County again
Ike heaved a sigh and they fondly embraced
And she travelled along with his arms around her waist

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 round fully sad

One morning they climbed up a very high hill
and with wonder looked down to old Placerville
Ike shouted and said as he cast his eyes down
Swee Betsy, my darling, we've got to hangtown

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
Quoth Ike, "You're an angel, but where are your wings?"

A miner said, "Betsy,will you dance with me?"
"I will, old feller, if you don't make too free
Nor dance me too hard. Do you want to know why?
For I'm chuck full of this old alkali"

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 lummox! I'm glad you backed out!"

From Ethel and Chauncey Moore's Ballads and Folk Songs of the Southwest

Here's the Ballad Index entry:

Sweet Betsy from Pike [Laws B9]
DESCRIPTION: "Sweet" Betsy and "her lover" Ike set out from Pike County, Missouri for California. On the way they lose much of their livestock and property, but also have some amazing adventures. (They marry, then divorce.)
AUTHOR: claimed by John A Stone (Old Put)
EARLIEST DATE: 1858 (Put's Golden Songster)
KEYWORDS: travel hardtimes settler
FOUND IN: US(Ap,MW,So,SW)
REFERENCES (20 citations):
Laws B9, "Sweet Betsy from Pike"
Belden, pp. 343-345, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text)
Randolph 192, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text plus a fragment, 1 (atypical) tune)
Randolph/Cohen, pp. 193-196, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune -- Randolph's 192A)
Randolph-Legman I, pp. 300-301, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (4 fragments, 1 tune)
Leach, pp. 750-751, "Betsy from Pike" (1 text)
Friedman, p. 432, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
PBB 112, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text)
Sandburg, pp. 108-109, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSUSA 53, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-ABFS, pp. 424-426, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lomax-FSNA 173, "Sweet Betsy" (1 text, 1 tune)
Fife-Cowboy/West 19, "Sweet Betsey from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
Botkin-AmFolklr, pp. 861-863, "Sweet Betsey from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
Hodgart, p. 239, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text)
Darling-NAS, pp. 167-168, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text)
Arnett, p. 57, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (1 text, 1 tune)
Silber-FSWB, p. 190, "Sweet Betsy From Pike" (1 text)
Fuld-WFM, pp. 603-604, "Vilikens and His Dinah -- (Sweet Betsey from Pike)"
DT 376, SWEETBET*
Roud #3234
RECORDINGS:
Crockett's Kentucky Mountaineers, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (Crown 3121, 1931)
Bradley Kincaid, "Sweet Betsy From Pike" (Bluebird 5321, 1934)
Harry "Mac" McClintock, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (Victor 23704, 1932; Montgomery Ward M-4324, 1933) [may have been released under the pseudonym 'Radio Mac']
Pete Seeger, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" (on PeteSeeger31)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Vilikens and his Dinah (William and Dinah) [Laws M31A/B]" (tune & meter) and references there
File: LB09