Erie Canal

Northeast Region

The Erie Canal , built between 1817 and 1825, served as a man made transportation link between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes before railroads were developed.  People traveled and transported goods on the Erie Canal .  Travel was slow and rather monotonous as the barges were pulled by horses and mules along the side of the canal.

Lyrics:

1.  I got a mule, her name is Sal,
     Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal !
     She’s a good old worker and a good old pal,
     Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal
     We’ve hauled some barges in our day,
     Filled with lumber, coal and hay,
     And we know ev’ry inch of the way
     From Albany to Buffalo.

Refrain:          Low bridge, ev’rybody down
                        Low bridge, ‘cause we’re coming to a town;
                       And you’ll always know your neighbor, 
                       You’ll always know your pal,
                       If you ever navigated on the Erie Canal .

2.  Git up there, Sal, we passed that lock,
     Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal !
     And we’ll make Rome ‘fore six o’clock.
     Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal !
     Just one more trip and back we’ll go,
     Through the rain and sleet and snow, 
     ‘Cause we know ev’ry inch of the way 
     From Albany to Buffalo.

Refrain:          Low bridge, ev’rybody down
                        Low bridge, ‘cause we’re coming to a town;
                        And you’ll always know your neighbor,
                        You’ll always know your pal,
                        If you ever navigated on the Erie Canal .

You can find a version of this song in Silver Burdett's Making Music 5th Grade, 
MacMillan/McGraw-Hill's Share the Music 5th Grade and Spotlight On Music 5th Grade.