The Hunters of Kentucky by Samuel Woodworth Lyrics
Ye gentlemen and ladies fair
Who grace this famous city
Just listen, if you've time to spare
While I rehearse a ditty;
And for the opportunity
Conceive yourselves quite lucky
For 'tis not often that you see
A hunter from Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Alligators
We are a hardy, free-born race
Each man to fear a stranger;
Whate'er the game, we join in chase
Despising toil and danger
And if a daring foe annoys
Whate'er his strength and forces
We'll show him that Kentucky boys
Are alligator horses
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
I s'pose you've read it in the prints
How Packenham attempted
To make old Hickory Jackson wince
But soon his scheme repented;
For we, with rifles ready cock'd
Thought such occasion lucky
And soon around the gen'ral flock'd
The hunters of Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
You've heard, I s'pose, how New-Orleans
Is fam'd for wealth and beauty—
There's girls of ev'ry hue, it seems
From snowy white to sooty
So Packenham he made his brags
If he in fight was lucky
He'd have their girls and cotton bags
In spite of old Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Andrew Jackson
But Jackson he was wide awake
And was not scar'd at trifles
For well he knew what aim we take
With our Kentucky rifles:
So he led us down by Cypress swamp
The ground was low and mucky;
There stood John Bull in martial pomp
And here was old Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
A bank was rais'd to hide our breasts
Not that we thought of dying
But that we always like to rest
Unless the game is flying
Behind it stood our little force
None wished it to be greater
For ev'ry man was half a horse
And half an alligator
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
They did not let our patience tire
Before they show'd their faces;
We did not choose to waste our fire
So snugly kept our places
But when so near we saw them wink
We thought it time to stop 'em
And 'twould have done you good, I think
To see Kentuckians drop 'em
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
The British found, 'twas vain to fight
Where lead was all their booty
And so they wisely took to flight
And left us all the beauty
And now, if danger e'er annoys
Remember what our trade is;
Just send for us Kentucky boys
And we'll protect ye, ladies
[REFRAIN] [2]
Who grace this famous city
Just listen, if you've time to spare
While I rehearse a ditty;
And for the opportunity
Conceive yourselves quite lucky
For 'tis not often that you see
A hunter from Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Alligators
We are a hardy, free-born race
Each man to fear a stranger;
Whate'er the game, we join in chase
Despising toil and danger
And if a daring foe annoys
Whate'er his strength and forces
We'll show him that Kentucky boys
Are alligator horses
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
I s'pose you've read it in the prints
How Packenham attempted
To make old Hickory Jackson wince
But soon his scheme repented;
For we, with rifles ready cock'd
Thought such occasion lucky
And soon around the gen'ral flock'd
The hunters of Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
You've heard, I s'pose, how New-Orleans
Is fam'd for wealth and beauty—
There's girls of ev'ry hue, it seems
From snowy white to sooty
So Packenham he made his brags
If he in fight was lucky
He'd have their girls and cotton bags
In spite of old Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Andrew Jackson
But Jackson he was wide awake
And was not scar'd at trifles
For well he knew what aim we take
With our Kentucky rifles:
So he led us down by Cypress swamp
The ground was low and mucky;
There stood John Bull in martial pomp
And here was old Kentucky
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
A bank was rais'd to hide our breasts
Not that we thought of dying
But that we always like to rest
Unless the game is flying
Behind it stood our little force
None wished it to be greater
For ev'ry man was half a horse
And half an alligator
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
They did not let our patience tire
Before they show'd their faces;
We did not choose to waste our fire
So snugly kept our places
But when so near we saw them wink
We thought it time to stop 'em
And 'twould have done you good, I think
To see Kentuckians drop 'em
[REFRAIN]
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky!
The British found, 'twas vain to fight
Where lead was all their booty
And so they wisely took to flight
And left us all the beauty
And now, if danger e'er annoys
Remember what our trade is;
Just send for us Kentucky boys
And we'll protect ye, ladies
[REFRAIN] [2]