Poker Jim.
[AIR—Raging Canal]

Now I'll tell you of my history since eighteen forty-seven,
When I lived in old Missouri, and my home was like a heaven;
I had a buxom little wife, as purty as could be—
She said as how she loved me well, and I'm certain I loved she.

But there came a lot of news along, I shall ne'er forget the day,
About there being lots of gold in Cal-i-for-nia:
I said, "Goodbye" unto my wife, though my heart felt many pains,
But thought the road to fortune, sure, lay straight across the Plains.

The first place that I got into is now called Placerville,
In them days it was Hangtown, but they thought that ungenteel:
I went to work right willingly, with shovel, pick, and pan,
And every chunk of gold saved for my Mary Ann.

In about two years I made a pile, though things were awful dear,
And then I started home agaia, to fetch my wife out here;
I took passage by the steamer, just because it was so quick,
But I'll never travel so no more, for the darned thing made me sick.

I stayed at home for half a year, and then we left for good.
My wife and children all were well, I was in a merry mood:
I bought a right good ox-team, and a wagon for the trip,
And, when we started, Mary Ann said, "Joshua, let 'em rip!"

We had a very pleasant time, and all got safely through,
I went to work right willingly, and so did my wife, too:
To make my home a happy one, my Mary Ann did try,
But very shortly after that, began my mis-e-ry.

There was a noted gam-ba-lier a living in our camp,
They called him Poker Jim, and, oh! he was an awful scamp;
He used to come and talk to her, while I tried to make a strike,
And said she was a fool to love such an ugly d—d d—d Pike.

One night I felt almighty tired, I'd been at work all day,
When I got home the neighbors said my wife had run away:
My heart was nearly bursting, and my head began to swim,
She'd left a letter saying as how she'd eloped* with Poker Jim.

I tried to keep my dander up, but felt awful bad of course,
For the d—d d—d critter she commenced an action for divorce;
She got it, and with Poker Jim she went off and got wed,
And the only ground she got it on, was because I snored in bed!


Put's Original California Songster, pp. 56-57

Lyrics and tune in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush, p. 58 - taken from Johnson's Comic Songs

*Stone's text says "sloped."

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Click to play (pdmusic.org)

[Tune notes by Artful Codger]
"The Raging Canal" was written and composed by P. Morris in 1844.

Sheet music [PDF] in the Lester S. Levy Collection.
Digital Tradition: The Raging Canal (with score, MIDI; lyrics not from the original)
Mudcat thread: Origins: The Raging Canal
YouTube: giggletoot's fretless banjo instrumental: The Raging Canal

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