Also known as “The Erie Canal”, 1913.
Words and music by Thos. S. Allen.
A famous song, about the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal is of great historic importance in the development of New York state. It also became a folk song covered by many folk singers.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- I’ve got an old mule and her name is Sal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
She’s a good old worker and a good old pal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
We’ve hauled some barges in our day
Filled with lumber, coal and hay
And ev’ry inch of the way I know
From Albany to Buffalo
Chorus
Low bridge, ev’rybody down
Low bridge, we must be getting near a town
You can always tell your neighbor
You can always tell your pal
If he’s ever navigated on the Erie Canal
- We’d better look ’round for a job old gal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
You bet your life I wouldn’t part with Sal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
Gid-yap there gal we’ve passed that lock
We’ll make Rome ‘fore six o-clock
So one more trip and then we’ll go
Right straight back to Buffalo
Chorus
Low bridge, ev’rybody down
Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town
Once a man named Mike McGinty
Tried to put it over Sal
Now he’s ‘way down at the bottom of the Erie Canal
- Oh, where would I be if I lost my pal?
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
Oh, I’d like to see a mule as good as Sal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
A friend of mine once got her sore
Now, he’s got a broken jaw
‘Cause she let fly with her iron toe
And kicked him into Buffalo
Chorus
Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town
If you’re looking ’round for trouble
Better stay away from Sal
She’d the only fighting donkey on the Erie Canal
- I don’t have to call when I want my Sal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
She trots from her stall like a good old gal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
I eat my meals with Sal each day
I eat beef and she eats hay
She ain’t so slow if you want to know
She put the “Buff” in Buffalo
Chorus
Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town
Eats a bale of hay for dinner
And on top of that, my Sal
Tries to drink up all the water in the Erie Canal
- You’ll soon hear them sing all about my gal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
It’s a darned fool ditty ’bout my darned fool Sal
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal
Oh, every band will play it soon
Darned fool words and darned fool tune
You’ll hear it sung everywhere you go
From Mexico to Buffalo
Chorus
Low bridge, everybody down
Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town
She’s a perfect, perfect lady
And she blushes like a gal
If she hears you sing about her and the Erie Canal
Sung here by Laurence Rubenstein: