"Steamboat Bill" (Nov. 17, 1910)
Words by Ren. Shields, 1868-1913
Music by Leighton Bros.
[Bert Leighton, 1877-1964;
other brother's info unknown]

1.
Down the Missippi steamed the Whipperwill,
commanded by that pilot, Mister Steamboat Bill.
The owners gave him orders on the strick Q. T.,
to try and beat the record of the "Robert E. Lee."
Just feed up you fires, let the old smoke roll,
Burn up all your cargo if you run out of coal.
If we don't beat that record, Billy told the mate,
"send mail in care of Peter to the Golden gate."

CHORUS
Steamboat Bill, steaming down the Mississippi,
Steamboat Bill, a mighty man was he.
Steamboat Bill, steaming down the Mississippi,
going to beat the record of the "Robert E. Lee."

2.
Up then stepped a gambling man from Louisville,
who tried to get a bet against the Whipperwill.
Billy flashed a roll that surely was a bear,
the boiler, it exploded, blew them up in the air.
The gambler said to Billy as they left the wreck,
"I don't know where we're going, but we're neck in neck."
Says Bill to the gambler, "I'll tell you what I'll do,
I will bet another thousand I'll go higher than you."

CHORUS
Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi,
Steamboat Bill, the tide it made him swear.
Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi,
the explosion of the boiler got him up in the air.

3.
River's all in mourning now for Steamboat Bill,
no more you'll hear the puffing of the Whipperwill,
There's crape on ev'ry steamboat that plows those streams,
from Memphis right to Natchez down to New Orleans.
The wife of Mister William was at home in bed,
When she got the telegram that Steamboat's dead.
Says she to the children, "Bless each honey lamb,
the next papa that you will have will be a railroad man."

Steamboat Bill, missing on the Mississippi,
Steamboat Bill, is with an angel band,
Steamboat Bill, missing on the Mississippi,
he's a pilot on the ferry in that Promised Land.

[Source: 154/160@Levy]