Samuel Woodworth — The Hunters of Kentucky

Ye gentlemen and ladies fair Who grace this famous city Just listen, if you've time to spare While I rehearse a ditty; And for the opportunity Conceive yourselves quite lucky For 'tis not often that you see A hunter from Kentucky [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Alligators We are a hardy, free-born race Each man to fear a stranger; Whate'er the game, we join in chase Despising toil and danger And if a daring foe annoys Whate'er his strength and forces We'll show him that Kentucky boys Are alligator horses [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! I s'pose you've read it in the prints How Packenham attempted To make old Hickory Jackson wince But soon his scheme repented; For we, with rifles ready cock'd Thought such occasion lucky And soon around the gen'ral flock'd The hunters of Kentucky [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! You've heard, I s'pose, how New-Orleans Is fam'd for wealth and beauty— There's girls of ev'ry hue, it seems From snowy white to sooty So Packenham he made his brags If he in fight was lucky He'd have their girls and cotton bags In spite of old Kentucky [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Andrew Jackson But Jackson he was wide awake And was not scar'd at trifles For well he knew what aim we take With our Kentucky rifles: So he led us down by Cypress swamp The ground was low and mucky; There stood John Bull in martial pomp And here was old Kentucky [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! A bank was rais'd to hide our breasts Not that we thought of dying But that we always like to rest Unless the game is flying Behind it stood our little force None wished it to be greater For ev'ry man was half a horse And half an alligator [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! They did not let our patience tire Before they show'd their faces; We did not choose to waste our fire So snugly kept our places But when so near we saw them wink We thought it time to stop 'em And 'twould have done you good, I think To see Kentuckians drop 'em [REFRAIN] Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! Oh Kentucky, the hunters of Kentucky! The British found, 'twas vain to fight Where lead was all their booty And so they wisely took to flight And left us all the beauty And now, if danger e'er annoys Remember what our trade is; Just send for us Kentucky boys And we'll protect ye, ladies [REFRAIN] [2]