The Lakes Of Pontchartrain Lyrics And Guitar Chords

Trad. This dates back to around 1812 and was recorded by Aoife O'Donovan,  Bob Dylan , Planxty and Peter Paul and Mary. The guitar chords are in two keys including the chords as used by The Coronas in the youtube video which is in the key of F Major.

It[G] was on one[D] fine March[C] morning,           
[Em]when[G] I bid New[D] Orleans a[G]dieu,        
[G]and I was on[D] the road to[C] Jackson[Em] town, 
[G]my fortunes to[C] renew,                
I[G] cursed[D] all foreign[C] money,,[Em]          
[G]no credit[C] could I gain,              
[G]which filled my[D] heart with[C] longing for,   
[Em]the[G] lakes of[D] Pontcha[G]rtrain

I stepped aboard a railway train
beneath the morning sun.
I rode the rails ‘til evening 
and lay me down again.
All strangers there, no friends to me,
‘til a dark girl towards me came.
And I fell in love with a Creole girl
on the Lakes of Pontchartrain.
 

I said "my pretty creol girl, 
My money here's no good, 
If it weren't for the alligators,
I would sleep out in the wood,
your welcome here, kind stranger
our house is very plain, 
but we never turn a stranger out
on the lakes of Pontchartrain"

she took me to her mamma's house, 
and treated me right well,
her hair upon here shoulders,
in jet black ringlets fell,
to try to preen here beauty
I'm sure would be in vain
so hansome was my creol girl
on the lakes of Pontchartrain

I asked her would she marry me,
and she it never would be,
while she had got a lover,
and he was off at sea
she said that she would wait for him
and faithful she remained
waiting for her sailor 
on the lakes of Pontchartrain

she value well my bonny old girl.
Ill never see you no more
I wont forget your kindness
in that cottage by the shore
and at every social gathering 
a golden glass I'll drain,
and drink the health to the creol girl
on the lakes of Pontchartrain.

Here are the chords for the Coronas version of the song.

Intro chords
F Dm F Bb F

It[F] was on one fine Ma[C]rch morn[F]ing,           
I [Dm]bid New[C] Orleans a[F]dieu,        
I took the road to[Dm]] Jackson[F] town, 
my fortunes to re[Bb]new,                
I[F] cursed all foreign[Dm] money,         
[F]no credit could I [Bb]gain,              
which [F]filled my heart with[C] long[F]ing for,   
the[Dm] lakes of[C] Pontcha[F]rtrain

I know i have this track down once or twice before but here is a good version worthy of inclusion here. The companeros were hard at work on the This Is The Day album. Late one January night we were singing and playing for the simple joy of it. I asked Tim Martin to run the tape and we slipped into the lakes. This song has transported me to many exotic places. 

I first heard it in Hull in 1967 and since the it has had a great re-awaking, coming fiest to  Ireland and then heading back across The Atlantic. I often wonder where did Mike Waterson first hear the song. It is a wonderful example of how a great song will out live the name of the person who wrote it. Lakes Of Pontchartrain -Notes, Christy Moore Box Set.