C F Well, in 1814, we took a little trip,G C along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississipp.F We took a little bacon and we took a little beans,G F C and we met the bloody British in the town of New Orleans We fired our guns and the British kept a comin',G C there wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began a running,G C down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.C F Well, I seed Marse Jackson come a-walkin' down the street,G C and a-talkin' to a pirate by the name of Jean Lafitte.F He gave Jean a drink that he brung from Tennessee,G F C and the pirate said he'd help us drive the British to the sea. Well the French told Andrew, "You had better run,G C for Packenham's a-comin' with a bullet in his gun." Old Hickory said he didn't give a damn,G C he's a-gonna whup the britches off of Colonel Packenham.C F Well, we looked down the river and we seed the British come,G C and there must have been a hundred of them beating on the drum.F They stepped so high and they made their bugles ring,G F C While we stood behind our cotton bales and didn't say a thinC F Old Hickory said we could take em by surprise,G C if we didn't fire a musket till we looked `em in the eyes.F We held our fire till we seed their face well,G F C then we opened up our squirrel guns and really gave em well.C Well they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles,G C and they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go. They ran so fast the hounds couldn't catch em,G C down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.F Well we fired our cannons till the barrels melted down,G F C so we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.F We filled his head with minie balls and powdered his behind,G F C and when we touched the powder off, the 'gator lost his mind.C F They lost their pants and their pretty shiny coats,G F C and their tails was all a-showin' like a bunch of billy goats.F They ran down the river with their tongues a-hanging out,G F C and they said they got a lickin', which there wasn't any doubt.C Well we marched back to town in our dirty ragged pants,G C and we danced all night with the pretty girls from France. We couldn't understand 'em, but they had the sweetest charms,G C and we understood 'em better when we got 'em in our arms.C F Well, the guide who brung the British from the sea,G F C come a-limping into camp just as sick as he could be.F He said the dying words of Colonel PackenhamG F C was, "You better quit your foolin' with your cousin Uncle Sam."C Well, we'll march back home, but we'll never be content,G C till we make Old Hickery the people's president. And every time we think about the bacon and the beans,G C we'll think about the fun we had way down in New Orleans.
Battle Of New Orleans
Pete Seeger
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Tom: