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