G     C/G              D   Em    C     D           G D         
It was one fine March morning I bid New Orleans adieu
       G        D       Em      D        G           C
And I took the road to Jackson town, my fortune to renew
   G          D      Em  D       G             C          
I cursed all foreign money, no credit could I gain
       G      C/G           D      Em      C        D       G
Which filled my heart with longing for the lakes of Ponchartrain

[Verse 2]
G     C/G              D   Em    C     D           G D         
I stepped on board of a railroad car beneath the morning sun
       G        D       Em      D        G           C
I rode the rods till evening and I laid me down again
   G          D      Em  D       G             C          
No friends to me all strangers  till a dark girl towards me came
       G      C/G           D      Em      C        D       G
And I fell in love with my Creole girl by the lakes of Ponchartrain

[Verse 3]
G     C/G              D   Em    C     D           G D         
I said My pretty Creole girl, me money here's no good
       G        D       Em      D        G           C
If it weren't for the alligators, I'd sleep out in the wood
   G          D      Em  D       G             C          
You're welcome here, kind stranger, our house is very plain
       G      C/G           D      Em      C        D       G
But we never turned a stranger out by the lakes of Ponchartrain

[Verse 4]
G     C/G              D   Em    C     D           G D         
She took me into her Mammy's house, and treated me right well
       G        D       Em      D        G           C
The hair upon her shoulders in jet black ringlets fell
   G          D      Em  D       G             C          
To try and paint her beauty, Im sure twould be in vain
       G      C/G           D      Em      C        D       G
So handsome was my Creole girl by the lakes of Ponchartrain

[Verse 5]
G     C/G              D   Em    C     D           G D         
I asked her if she'd marry me, She said that never could be
       G        D       Em      D        G           C
For she had got a lover and he was far at sea
   G          D      Em  D       G             C          
She said that she would wait for him and true she would remain
       G      C/G           D      Em      C        D       G
Till he'd return to his Creole girl on the lakes of Ponchartrain

[Verse 6]
G     C/G              D   Em    C     D           G D         
Its fare thee well, me Creole girl, I never may see you more
       G        D       Em      D        G           C
I'll never forget your kindness in the cottage by the shore
   G          D      Em  D       G             C          
And at each social gathering, a flowing bowl I'll drain
       G      C/G           D      Em      C        D       G
And I'll drink a health to my Creole girl by the lakes of Ponchartrain