Battle of New Orleans (in Florida)

In 1814 we took a little trip
Along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.
We took a little bacon and we took a little beans
And we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans.

[Chorus:]
We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin' on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

We looked down the river and we see'd the British come.
And there must have been a hundred of'em beatin' on the drum.
They stepped so high and they made the bugles ring.
We stood by our cotton bales and didn't say a thing.

[Chorus:]
We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin' on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Old Hickory said we could take 'em by surprise
If we didn't fire our muskets 'til we looked 'em in the eye
We held our fire 'til we see'd their faces well.
Then we opened up with squirrel guns and really gave 'em ... well

[Chorus:]
We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin' on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.**

We fired our cannon 'til the barrel melted down.
So we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round.
We filled his head with cannon balls, and powdered his behind
And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind.

[Chorus:]
We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin.
There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago.
We fired once more and they began to runnin' on
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Yeah, they ran through the briars and they ran through the brambles
And they ran through the bushes where a rabbit couldn't go.
They ran so fast that the hounds couldn't catch 'em
Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Hubby used his birthday money from his sister to buy music, including this Johnny Horton CD. He got it especially for the boys, as they are studying US history this year and next. (Thought US history would be more meaningful the years we live in the States and can do historical field trips.)

The boys have the lyrics nearly memorized to this song, Sink the Bismark, Johnny Reb, and Johnny Freedom.

Do you remember acting out songs when you were a kid? I did all the time, especially with my sister and one of my friends. This evening I've watched the boys' choreography to Battle of New Orleans evolve. Near the end of the evening, J10 was costumed all in red and R7 all in blue--the British and Ol' Hickory.

Ahhhh. . . I love watching my boys' childhood. . .

Update: Thanks to Mrs. Crumley, check out this lego brick film of the Battle of New Orleans. What a way to learn history. . .

Posted by TulipGirl | 10:58 PM| TrackBack (0) | Words

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Comments

I still have that one memorized from my childhood - Horton is a huge favorite of my dad's.
Posted by: Carrie K. at August 10, 2006 11:30 PM

Oh, my husband loves to sing this song--but he has forgotten a few of the verses over the years. I'm so glad you printed them all out.
Posted by: Michelle@This One's for the Girls at August 11, 2006 12:21 AM

That song was the extent of my childhood rebellion. My parents bought us a Disney americana LP(!) with "Battle of New Orleans" on it. My mom forbade us to listen to it, however, because she thought it had the "h" word in it. When we were playing the record, we had to move the needle to the next track.

Whenever they left, however, my brothers and I would race to the record player and put it on. The guilty pleasure was diminished, however, by the fact that it actually did not contain the "h" word, but instead the word "well".
Posted by: Andrew at August 11, 2006 07:23 AM

You amaze me! What a wonderful childhood you are fostering for those boys. Your posts about them always makes me :-)
Posted by: chosenbyGod at August 11, 2006 08:17 AM

My husband has sung that song to me a few times and he recently showed me a lego film set to that song. Your kids should check it out.
http://www.brickfilms.com/films/830

Posted by: mrscrumley at August 12, 2006 11:49 AM

Oh, I love that song! Jimmy Driftwood, who wrote it, was from Arkansas, so of course it has a special place in my heart. My 15yos can be heard singing it around the place while he's working.

Posted by: Kelly at August 12, 2006 04:08 PM

Isn't it amazing the strong memories and emotions associated with certain songs? For this one, even when Johnny Horton is singing, I still hear the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Posted by: TulipGirl at August 13, 2006 09:23 PM

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