Lyr. Add: MY INITIATION, or How I Joined the Odd Fellows
Words John Poole, Music Thomas Yates, 1874
1
Ye brothers of the Mystic Tie,
Unto my song give ear,
while I Tell you the When,
the Where,- the Why,
I got Initiated.
One Jollie Green, a friend, d'ye see,
With whom I often made quite free,
One day he chanced to say to me
"Why don't you an Odd Fellow be?"
My name up to the Lodge I sent,
The initiation fee I spent,
And along with him one evening went-
To be Initiated.
2
First my eyesight they did blind,
And then they tied my hands behind;
I really thought it most unkind
For to be so badly treated.
While I around my way did feel,
Upon sharp tacks they made me kneel,
Then with a grasp which made me reel,
They bound me on a monstrous wheel,
Then whirl'd me round with lightning speed,
My agony they did not heed;
Oh! I only wish'd my hands were freed,
When I was Initiated.

Chorus.
That time I never have forgot,
With the great Gridiron roaring hot,
And the Goat, which round the room did trot,
When I was Initiated.

3
They gave me next a shower bath,
Which further did increase my wrath;
And one sang out "The Rugged Path,
There let the wretch be seated."
Then up a ladder, a mile or more,
And down they plunged me, with a roar,
Until, with bones all bruised and sore,
At length I sprawled upon the floor.
"Do let me up!" at once I cried;
But I found my feet together tied,
And on a rail I took a ride,
While being Initiated.
4
Then suddenly somebody said:
"Let the unenlightened wretch be bled,
And place the pitch-cap on his head,
Let his nose be nutmeg-grated:
Put mustard plasters on his feet,
And then, to make the work complete,
That he may have a warmer seat,
The great Gridiron quickly heat."
Then I thought I should give up the ghost,
When on it I was placed to toast,
I felt again, smelt someting roast,
When I was Initiated.
5
A sulphurous smell now filled the air,
And I heard four hoofs behind me bear,
When I knew that horrible goat was there;
Oh! wasn't I aggrravated?
I again was seized, on his back was bound,
With a kick and a plunge he rushed around,
With such terrible speed to go over the ground,
I'm sure no velocipede ever was found,
My ears were stunned by the awful din,
As he sped up and down, and out and in,
I thought a whole bone wasn't left in my skin,
When I was Initiated.
6
As I wondered what trial there next would be,
A voice proclaimed; "Ye may set him free,
If he'll take the oath he hears from me."
That I'd do it I quickly stated,
And these were the terrible words I spoke.
"I promise never to drink or smoke,
Never to laugh and never to joke,
Or my nose into other folks' business poke."
My eyes were unbound, and I looked around,
Found myself in the Lodge room safe and sound,
And I've never regretted the night, I'll be bound,
When I was Initiated.

Chorus.
Oh, no, the time I'll ne'er forget,
When first I joined that friendly set,
Whom as brother Odd Fellows I've often met,
Since I was Initiated.

American Memory, American Sheet Music, Pub. by Thos. Yates, New York.