[Intro]
D
The boatman dance, the boatman sing,
D A D
The boatman do ‘most anything,
D
And when the boatman get on shore,
D A D
He spends his cash and works for more.
[Chorus]
D D A D
Dance, boatman, dance, dance, boatman, dance,
D G D
Dance all night till the broad daylight,
G A D
Go home with the gals in the morning.
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio,
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D G A D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio.
[Verse]
D
The boatman is a thrifty man,
D A D
There’s none can do as the boatman can.
D
I never saw a pretty girl in my life
D A D
But that she was a boatman’s wife.
[Chorus]
D D A D
Dance, boatman, dance, dance, boatman, dance,
D G D
Dance all night till the broad daylight,
G A D
Go home with the gals in the morning.
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio,
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D G A D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio.
[Verse]
D
I went on board the other day
D A D
To see what the boatman had to say,
D
And there I let my passion loose;
D A D
They crammed me in the calaboose.
[Chorus]
D D A D
Dance, boatman, dance, dance, boatman, dance,
D G D
Dance all night till the broad daylight,
G A D
Go home with the gals in the morning.
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio,
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D G A D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio.
[Verse]
D
When you go to the boatman’s ball,
D A D
Dance with your wife or not at all.
D
Sky-blue jacket, tarpaulin hat,
D A D
Look out, boys, for the nine-tailed cat.
[Chorus]
D D A D
Dance, boatman, dance, dance, boatman, dance,
D G D
Dance all night till the broad daylight,
G A D
Go home with the gals in the morning.
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio,
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D G A D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio.
[Verse]
D
When the boatman blows his horn,
D A D
Look out, old man, your daughter’s gone.
D
He stole my sheep, he stole my goat,
D A D
He put ’em in a bag and took ’em to the boat.
[Chorus]
D D A D
Dance, boatman, dance, dance, boatman, dance,
D G D
Dance all night till the broad daylight,
G A D
Go home with the gals in the morning.
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio,
G
Hi, ho, the boatman row,
D G A D
Sailing down the river on the Ohio.