The Lakes Of Pontchartrain

G [320033]
Cadd9 [032033]
D/F# [200233]
Em7 [022033]

Capo 6

      G      Cadd9       D/F# Em7  Cadd9       D/F#    G
'Twas on one bright March mornin' I bid New Orleans adieu
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And I took the road to Jackson town, me fortune to renew
   Em7       Cadd9   G  D/F#    Em7   D/F#    Cadd9
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
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Which filled me heart with longing for the lakes of Pontchartrain


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I stepped on board of a railroad car beneath the morning sun
    G      D/F#      Em7 Cadd9      G     D/F#   Cadd9
I rode the road 'til evening and I laid me down again
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All strangers there, no friends to me, 'til a dark girl towards me came
       G     Cadd9        D/F#   Em7         Cadd9     D/F#    G
And I fell in love with a Creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain


   G        Cadd9  D/F#    Em7     Cadd9 D/F#       G
I said, "My pretty Creole girl, me money here's no good
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If it weren't for the alligators, I'd sleep out in the wood"
        Em7     Cadd9       G  D/F#       Em7       D/F#   Cadd9
"You're welcome here, kind stranger, our house, it's very plain
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But we never turn a stranger out from the lakes of Pontchartrain"


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She took me to her mammy's house and treated me right well
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The hair upon her shoulders in jet-black ringlets fell
   Em7      Cadd9    G  D/F#      Em7        D/F#   Cadd9
To try and paint her beauty, I'm sure 'twould be in vain
      G    Cadd9    D/F#   Em7        Cadd9     D/F#     G
So handsome was my Creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain


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And I asked her if she'd marry me, she'd said it could never be
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For she had got another, and he was far at sea
      Em7    Cadd9       G       D/F#     Em7     D/F#    Cadd9
She said that she would wait for him and true she would remain
     G    Cadd9           D/F#   Em7        Cadd9    D/F#      G
'Til he returned for his Creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain


    G        Cadd9     D/F#      Em7    Cadd9      D/F#    G
So fare thee well, me bonny own girl, I never will see no more
          G       D/F#     Em7 Cadd9        G      D/F#   Cadd9
But I'll ne'er forget your kindness in the cottage by the shore
    Em7     Cadd9   G   D/F#     Em7    D/F#      Cadd9
And at each social gathering a flowing glass I'll raise
          G      Cadd9         D/F#  Em7           Cadd9   D/F#      G
And I'll drink a health to me Creole girl and the lakes of Pontchartrain