The Lakes Of Pontchartrain lyrics
Dan McCabeMusic Video
The Lakes Of Pontchartrain
It was on one fine March morning I bid New Orleans adieu
And I took the road to Jackson town, me fortune to renew
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
Which filled my heart with longin' for the Lakes of Pontchartain.
I stepped on board a railroad car beneath the morning sun
I rode the roads 'til evening and I laid me down again
All strangers there, no friends to me 'til a dark toward me came
And I fell in love with a Creole girl by the Lakes of Pontchartrain.
I said me pretty Creole girl, me money here's no good
If it weren't for the alligators I'd sleep out in the woods
You're welcome here kind stranger, our house is very plain
And we never turn a stranger out by the Lakes of Pontchartrain.
She took me in to mummy's house and treated me right well
The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell
To try and paint her beauty I'm sure would be in vain
So handsome was my Creole girl by the Lakes of Pontchartrain.
I asked her if she'd marry me, she'd said it could never be
For she had got another and he was far at sea
She said she would wait for him and true she would remain
Until he returned to his Creole girl by the Lakes of Pontchartrain.
So it's fair thee well the Creole girl I never may see no more
I'll ne'er forget your kindness and the cottage down by the shore
And at each social gathering a flowin' glass I'll drink
And I'll drink to the health of my Creole girl by the Lakes of Pontchartrain.
Song Details
Songwriter: Traditional - Anonymous author
Originated in the United States, most likely in the early–mid 1800s, in the Louisiana region. It’s part of the American folk tradition, with Creole references, American geography, and a storyline rooted in that culture.
Song Brief:
The Lakes of Pontchartrain is a traditional ballad telling the story of a wandering stranger who is given shelter by a kind Creole woman near the lakes of Louisiana. Though he grows fond of her, he learns she is already promised to another, and their connection becomes a moment of quiet, unfulfilled affection.
Lake Pontchartrain: Situated in southeastern Louisiana, USA, just north of New Orleans. It’s a large, shallow estuary rather than a true lake, stretching about 40 miles across and forming part of the region’s coastal system
- Nearest major city: New Orleans (the city sits directly on its southern shore)
- Type: A natural estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico
- Size: About 630 square miles, one of the largest inland bodies of water in the region
Creole: Refers to the French‑speaking communities of Louisiana, whose culture blends French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Indigenous influences.
Jackson town: Jackson, Louisiana — a small town in East Feliciana Parish, north of Baton Rouge.
Genre: Traditional Folk, American Ballad
Irish Influence on American Folk Tradition:
Irish musicians have long embraced American folk songs, as Irish immigrants played a major role in shaping American folk traditions and influencing their melodies and storytelling styles. The Lakes of Pontchartrain became widely known in Ireland through singers like Paul Brady, Christy Moore, and many others.
Featured Artist: Dan McCabe - Irish Folk Singer from County Kildare
Album: Back to Life
Released: 25 October 2024
Label: Trad Nua
Track Number: 6
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