Lyrics

Erie Canal (Low Bridge, Everybody Down)

I’ve got an old mule and her name is Sal,
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.
She’s a good old worker and a good old pal,
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal

We hauled some barges in our day,
All filled with lumber, coal and hay, and
Every inch of the way I know,
From Albany down to Buffalo.

Low bridge, everybody down!
Low bridge, we must be gettin’ near a town!
You can always tell your neighbor, you can always tell your pal,
If they’ve ever navigated on the Erie Canal.

We’d better look around for a job old gal,
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal!
You can bet your life I wouldn’t part with sal,
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal!

Get up gal!  We’ve passed that lock,
Oh, we’ll make Rome before six o’clock!
So, one more trip and then we’ll go,
Right straight back up to Buffalo!

Low bridge, everybody down!
Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town.
Once a man named Mike McGinty tried to put it over sal,
Now he’s way down at the bottom of the Erie Canal.

Oh, where would I be if I lost my pal?
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.
Oh, I’d like to see a mule as good as Sal!
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.

A friend of mine once got her sore,
Now he’s got a broken jaw,
‘Cause she let fly with her iron toe,
And kicked him right up to Buffalo!

Low bridge, everybody down!
Low bridge, I’ve got the finest mule in town.
If you’re lookin’ round for trouble, better stay away from Sal,
She’s the only fighting donkey on the Erie Canal

Coming up to a low bridge, everybody down,
Low bridge!  I’ve got the finest mule in town.
She’s a perfect, perfect lady and she blushes like a gal,
If she hears you sing about her, beware not to disregard her

When you sing about her and the Erie Canal.
On the Erie Canal.
On the Erie Canal.
Better watch out for Sal,
On the Erie Canal.

Song Notes

Bounding Main’s music director, Jonathan Krivitsky, did a lot of research on this song to determine what were the original lyrics as first written by Thomas S. Allen.  Then he did this bluesey, jazzy arrangement of the song for us to perform.