"Jordan Is a Hard Road to Trabel" (1853)
Composed by OLD DAN EMMET.
[Daniel Decatur Emmett]

[Source: pages 90-91 of
"Minstrel Songs, Old and New" (1883)]

1.
I just arrived in town, for to pass de time away,
And I settled all my bisness accordin',
But I found it so cold when up de street,
Dat I wish'd I was on de oder side ob Jordan.

[CHORUS]
So take off your coat, boys,
And roll up your sleaves,
For Jordan is a hard road to trabel;
So take off your coat, boys,
And roll up your sleaves,
For Jordan is a hard road to trabel I believe.

2.
I look to the East, I look to the West,
And I see, ole Massa a comin',
With four bay horses hitch'd up in front,
To tote his money to de oder side ob Jordan.

(CHORUS)

3.
David and Giliath both had a fight,
A cullud man come up behind 'em,
His hit Goliath on de head wid a bar of soft soap,
And it sounded to de oder side ob Jordan.

(CHORUS)

4.
If I was de legislator ob dese United States,
I'd settle de fish question accordin',
I'd give de British all de bone and de Yankees all de meat,
And stretch de boundary line to de oder side ob Jordan.

(CHORUS)