"The
Skating Song." (1865)
Song and Chorus.

On long, long nights of winter,
  Upon our island seas,
Our flashing skate-steel rivals
  The swiftness of the breeze.
Once more our course we venture
  On the rapid gliding heel,
And proudly sweep o'er the icy deep
  With many a curve and wheel.
CHORUS.  Hurrah for the flashing--Forward dashing,
  Clearly ringing steel.

[Words--anonymous]
Music by Herman Th. Knake.

Pittsburgh, Pa.: Herman Th. Knake
Pittsburgh, Pa.: Wamelink & Barr
Chicago: Root & Cady
Cleveland: S. Brainard & Co.
New York: W. A. Pond & Co.
Boston: Oliver Ditson & Co.
Philadelphia: Lee & Walker
[Source: 028/155@Levy]

1. On long, long nights of winter
  Upon our inland seas.
Our flashing skatesteel rivals
  The swiftness of the breeze.
Once more our course we venture
  On the rapid gliding heel,
And proudly sweep o’er the icy deep
  With many a cure and wheel.

[REFRAIN and] CHORUS [(each) sung after each VERSE]
Then hurrah for the flashing,
  Forward dashing,
Clearly ringing steel
  Then hurrah for the flashing,
Forward dashing,
  Clearly ringing steel.

2. We need no gas nor parlor,
  Stars for our lamp suffice,
Our canopy is the heaven blue
  Bent round the glassy lee.
Hurrah for the brave old Norsemen!
  Hurhah for the steelshod heel,
O’er the deep we skim,
  ’till shores grow dim,
Then a homeward curve we wheel.

3. Steel for the sturdy warrior,
  Steel for the poet’s pen.
The pioneer’s axe in the forest,
  The plowshare in the glen.
But hurrah for the steel of the skaters!
  Hurrah for the joy we feel,
When our skates are glancing
  like a vessel dancing,
With a wave dividing keel.