Anonymous. Bowery Gals. Hamilton Fish Armstrong, ed. 1917. The Book of New York Verse

Hamilton Fish Armstrong, ed. The Book of New York Verse. 1917.

Bowery Gals

Anonymous


(From Christy’s Plantation Melodies) AS I was lumbering down de street,
O, down de street,
O, down de street,
Dat pretty color’d gal I chanc’d to meet.
O, she was fair to view.	5

CHORUS Den de Bowery gals will you come out to-night?
Will you come out to-night?
Will you come out to-night?
O, de Bowery gals will you come out to-night
And dance by de light ob de moon?	10

Den we stopp’d awhile and had some talk,
O, we had some talk,
O, we had some talk,
And her heel cover’d up the whole side-walk,
As she stood right by me.	15

CHORUS: Den de Bowery gals, etc.

I’d like to kiss dem lubly lips,
Dem lubly lips,
Dem lubly lips,
I think that I could lose my wits,	20
And drap right down on de floor.

CHORUS: Den de Bowery gals, etc.

I ax’d her would she go to a dance,
Would she go to a dance,
Would she go to a dance,	25
I thought that I might have a chance
To shake my foot wid her.

CHORUS: Den de Bowery gals, etc.

I danc’d all night and my heel kept a-rocking,
O, my heel kept a-rocking,	30
O, my heel kept a-rocking,
And I balance to de gal wid a hole in her stocking,
She was de prettiest gal in de room.

CHORUS: Den de Bowery gals, etc.

I am bound to make dat gal my wife,	35
Dat gal my wife,
Dat gal my wife,
O, I should be happy all my life,
If I had her along wid me.

CHORUS: Den de Bowery gals, etc.	40