G        C G           D   Em    C     D           G         
It was one fine March morning I bid New Orleans adieu
       G        D       Em      D       G     D G  C 
And I took the road to Jackson town, my fortune to renew
   G          D      Em  D       G    D  G    C          
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
       G     C  G          D       Em      C        D      G
Which filled my heart with longing for the lakes of Pontchartrain

[Verse 2]
 G        C G           D        Em  C       D           G       
I stepped on board of a railroad car beneath the morning sun
  G        D          Em   D        G       D G  C
I rode the roads till evening and I laid me down again
   G          D      Em  D            G         D  G       C          
No friends to me all strangers till a dark girl towards me came
       G     C G           D      Em         C         D       G
And I fell in love with my Creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain

[Verse 3]
 G      C G      D     Em        C     D         G         
I said My pretty Creole girl, my money here's no good
       G          D       Em      D       G         D G    C
If it weren't for all the alligators, I'd sleep out in the woods
          G              D        Em  D         G         D G  C          
She said You're welcome here, kind stranger, our house is very plain
        G C  G        D        Em          C        D       G
But we never turned a stranger away by the lakes of Pontchartrain

[Verse 4]
 G        C G       D     Em          C       D         G        
She took me to her Mammy's house, and treated me right well
     G     D      Em    D       G        D  G     C
The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell
   G        D        Em  D       G        D    G     C          
To try and paint her beauty, I'm sure it would be in vain
 G      C G           D    Em         C        D       G
So handsome was my Creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain

[Verse 5]
 G       C  G        D   Em        C        D           G         
I asked her if she'd marry me, She said it would never be
     G       D     Em       D      G D    C
For she had got a lover and he was far at sea
   G          D         Em       D       G     D   G    C          
She said that she would wait for him and true she would remain
     G     C G          D      Em          C        D       G
Till he'd return to his Creole girl on the lakes of Pontchartrain

[Verse 6]
    G     C  G          D     Em          C     D       G         
Its fare thee well, me Creole girl, may I never see you more
      G     D         Em      D        G       D G    C
I'll never forget your kindness in the cottage by the shore
   G          D     Em   D       G      D G      C          
And at each social gathering, a flowing bowl I'll drain
         G     C G            D      Em          C        D       G
And I'll drink a health to my Creole girl by the lakes of Pontchartrain