“The Day Columbus Landed Here”

Description

"I never shall forget the day Columbus landed here. Myself and forty Indians were standing on the pier.... 'Twas I who built the Rockies up and placed them where they are; Sold whiskey to the Indians behind my little bar"

Supplemental text

Day Columbus Landed Here, The
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

From Edith Fulton Fowke, editor, and Richard Johnston, music editor,
Folk Songs of Canada (first edition), pp. 178-179. From
Come A-Singing, apparently adapted from a version found by Dr.
Douglas Leechman in British Columbia.

I never shall forget the day
  Columbus landed here.
Myself and forty Indians
  Were there right on the pier.
He asked me why the Indians
  Wore feathers in their hair.
Oh, that's to keep their trousers up,
  And this I do declare:

REFRAIN:
'Twas I who built the Rockies up
  And placed them where they are,
Sold whisky to the Indians
  Behind my little bar.
'Twas I that built Niagara Falls
  And first discovered beer,
And that was many years before
  Columbus landed here.

(2 additional stanzas)

Cross references

• cf. "I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago (Bragging Song)"

References

1. Fowke/Johnston, pp. 178-179, "The Day Columbus Landed Here" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. ST FJ178 (Partial)
3. Roud #4546
4. BI, FJ178