Did you ever hear tell of Sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide mountains with her lover Ike,
With two yoke of cattle and one spotted hog,
A tall Shanghai rooster and an old yeller dog.
 
They swam the wide rivers and climbed the tall peaks,
And camped on the prairies for weeks upon weeks,
Starvation and cholera, hard work and slaughter,
They reached California spite hell and high water.
 
The Injuns come down in a wild yelling horde,
And Betsy got skeered they would scalp her adored,
So behind the front wagon-wheel Betsy did crawl,
And fought off the Injuns with musket and ball.
 
They camped on the prairie one bright, starry night.
They broke out the whiskey and Betsy got tight,
She sang and she shouted and romped o'er the plain,
And she showed her bare bum to the whole wagon train.
 
The wagon tipped over with a terrible crash
And out on the prairie rolled all sorts of trash,
A few little baby clothes, done up with care,
Looked rather suspicious, but 'twas all on the square.
 
Sweet Betsy got up with a great deal of pain
And declared she'd go back to Pike County again,
Then Ike heaved a sigh and they fondly embraced,
And she travelled along with his arm round her waist.
 
They passed the Sierras through mountains of snow,
Till old California was sighted below.
Sweet Betsy she hollered, and Ike gave a cheer,
Saying, "Betsy, my darlin', I'm a made millioneer."
 
A miner said, "Betsy, will you dance with me?"
"I will that, old hoss, if you don't make too free.
But don't dance me hard, do you want to know why?
Doggon ye, I'm chock full of strong alkali."
 
Long Ike and Sweet Betsy got married, of course,
But Ike, who was jealous, obtained a divorce,
And Betsy, well satisfied, said with a smile,
"I've six good men waitin' within half a mile."