"Getting Under Way," the sidewheel steamboat Robt. E. Lee, drawn by Alfred R. Waud, from Harper's Monthly,
September 2, 1871; crowd cheering from the shore.
List of Songs ~ Charlie Ipcar Home Page
Copyright claimed in 1876 by J. L. Peters; © 1877 by Oliver Ditson & Co.
(Fang mo-rang o-hay.) Song and Chorus by William Shakespeare Hays (1837-1907).
Adapted by Charlie Ipcar, 9/6/2016
Tune: similar to When the Glendy Burk Comes Down
Printable version ~ PDF ~ MP3 Sample ~ Original Lyrics
"Getting Under Way," the sidewheel steamboat Robt. E. Lee, drawn by Alfred R. Waud, from Harper's Monthly,
September 2, 1871; crowd cheering from the shore.
De Bob Lee she's a bully boat,
Fang morang ohay,
De fastest boat dat ever float,
Fang morang ohay!
When you see her climb dat stream,
Fang morang ohay!
She's belching smoke and spewing steam,
Fang morang ohay!
Chorus:
So fare ye well, my Creole belle,
An' don't you look for me;
I's gwine up to de bends an' back ag'in
On de steamboat Bad Bob Lee!
Shove dem chunks in de fire box door,
Fang morang ohay,
Send dem big waves all ashore,
Fang morang ohay!
Slow boats gwine to let her be,
Fang morang ohay!
Got no use for de Bad Bob Lee,
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
De Captain's on de biler deck,
Fang morang ohay,
Lookin' out for a boat, I spec',
Fang morang ohay!
Dar ain't no boat dat he kin see,
Fang morang ohay!
Can shake her tail at de Bad Bob Lee.
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
See dem wheels spin round an' round,
Fang morang ohay,
Makes dis boat run like a hound,
Fang morang ohay!
De white folks shout on shore wid glee,
Fang morang ohay!
"Just lookee yonder at de Bad Bob Lee!"
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
Oh, Captain Cannon, he's about,
Fang morang ohay,
Hear 'im shout, "Let her out!"
Fang morang ohay!
Now she's flyin', you kin see,
Fang morang ohay!
And dey gib dem horns to de Bad Bob Lee.
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)(2X)
NOTE: copyright claimed in 1876 by J. L. Peters; copyright filed in 1877 by Oliver Ditson & Co.
(Fang mo-rang o-hay.) Song and Chorus by William Shakespeare Hays, 1837-1907
Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co., 451 Washington St., Plate No. 7995-3
Source: 1877-10152@LoC
1.
De Bob Lee am a bully boat,
Fang mo-rang o-hay,
De fastest one dat ever float,
Fang mo-rang o-hay!
When you see her climb dat stream,
Fang mo-rang o-hay!
Look out den she's usin' steam,
Fang mo-rang o-hay!
Chorus:
Den fare ye well,
An' don't you look for me,
We gwine up to de bends an' back
On de bully boat Bob Lee!
2.
Shove dem chunks in de fire door,
Fang morang ohay,
Send de big waves all ashore,
Fang morang ohay!
Slow boats gwine to let her be,
Fang morang ohay!
Got no use for de Bad Bob Lee,
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
3.
De Captain's up on de biler deck,
Fang morang ohay,
Lookin' our for a boat I spec',
Fang morang ohay!
Dar ain't no boat dat he kin see,
Fang morang ohay!
Dat git away wid de ole Bob Lee.
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
4.
I hear dem wheels go 'round an' 'round,
Fang morang ohay,
Dat makes dis boat run like a hound,
Fang morang ohay!
De white folks shout on shore wid glee,
Fang morang ohay!
Just lookee yonder at dat Lee.
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
5.
Ole Captain Cannon he's about,
Fang morang ohay,
An' tole Mass Perkins let her out,
Fang morang ohay!
To see how fast dat boat can be,
Fang morang ohay!
And dey gib dem horns to de Bad Bob Lee.
Fang morang ohay! (CHO)
Note: tune similar to "When the Glendy Burk comes down"