Sweet Betsey from Pike
[AIR- Villikins and his Dinah]
1
Oh, don't you remember sweet Betsey from Pike,
Who crossed the big mountains with her lover Ike,
With two yoke of cattle, a large yellow dog,
A tall Shanghai rooster and one spotted hog.
CHORUS
Tooral lal looral lal looral lal la,
Tooral lal looral, &c.
2
One evening quite early they camped on the Platte,
'Twas near by the road on a green shady flat,
Where Betsey, sore-footed, lay down to repose-
With wonder Ike gazed on that Pike County rose.
CHORUS
3
Their wagons broke down with a terrible crash,
And out on the prairie rolled all kinds of trash;
A few little baby clothes done up with care-
'Twas rather suspicious, though all on the square.
CHORUS
4
The shanghai ran off, and their cattle all died;
That morning the last piece of bacon was fried;
Poor Ike was discouraged, and Betsey got mad,
The dog drooped his tail and looked wondrously sad.
CHORUS
5
They stopped at Salt Lake to inquire the way,
When Brigham declared that sweet Betsey should stay;
But Betsey got frightened and ran like a deer,
While Brigham stood pawing the ground like a steer.
CHORUS
6
They soon reached the desert, where Betsey gave out,
And down in the sand she lay rolling about;
While Ike, half distracted, looked on with surprise,
Saying, "Betsey, get up, you'll get sand in your eyes."
CHORUS
7
Sweet Betsey got up in a great deal of pain,
Declared she'd go back to Pike County again;
But Ike gave a sigh, and they fondly embraced,
And they travelled along with his arm round her waist.
CHORUS
8
They suddenly stopped on a very high hill,
With wonder looked down upon old Placerville;
Ike sighed when he said, and he cast his eyes down,
"Sweet Betsey, my darling, we've got to Hangtown."
CHORUS
9
Long Ike and sweet Betsey attended a dance;
Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants;
Sweet Betsey was covered with ribbons and rings;
Says Ike, "You're an angel, but where are your wings?"
CHORUS
10
A miner said, "Betsey, 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?
Dog on you! I'm chock full of strong alkali!"
CHORUS
11
This Pike County couple got married of course,
And Ike became jealous- obtained a divorce;
Sweet Betsey, well satisfied, said with a shout,
"Good-by, you big lummux, I'm glad you've backed out!"
CHORUS
Put's Golden Songster, pp. 50-52
Tune and lyrics in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush, pp. 43-44
_________________________________________
A WESTERN preacher who was discoursing on the parable of Lazarus and Dives, said: "You may think it strange, my friends, that our Lord took so much notice of a poor beggar; but beggng in them days was a different kind of thing from our modern begging; individuals of that calling didn't then get from rich men's tables, as they do now, little bits of bread, and 'taters, and pork, and pickles; no, my hearers, they got great hunks of cake, and plates of pie, and sich things; hence we view, that Lazarus was in danger when surrounded with dogs that might have stolen half his victuals!"
[Tune notes by Artful Codger]
"Villikins and His Dinah" is one of the most oft-recycled British (etc.) and American folk tunes [see this thread]. I list only a couple of the many threads on "Sweet Betsy" and "Villikins" here.
Digital Tradition: Sweet Betsy from Pike (with MIDI)
Digital Tradition: Villikins and His Dinah (with score and MIDI)
Mudcat thread: Origin of Villikins&Dinah tune
Mudcat thread: Origins: Sweet Betsy from Pike
The Contemplator: Sweet Betsey from Pike
YouTube: Rex Allen: Sweet Betsy from Pike
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