A favorite ballad from 1831
Words and music by John Allison Gairdner
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by Benjamin R. Tubb:
Lyrics
1. The ardent, romantic,
The charming god of song,
Cross’d lately th’ Atlantic
Nor thought the voy’ge long;
He tripp’d along in shoes of cork,
Singing many a ditty,
But he chang’d his song
When he reache’d New York,
To what a charming City.
Chorus:
New York! New York!
Oh! what a charming City.
New York! New York!
Oh! what a charming City.
2. In Bowery, in Broadway,
He rambl’d up and down,
Took byway, and oddway,
Resolve to see the town;
And on he went, he sung this song,
“Now, is it not a pity,”
I should have stay’d away so long,
From such a charming City.
3. Here Freedom, and duty,
And truth, and taste remain,
Here honour, and beauty,
And love, and valour reign;
Then hither Freedom’s friends resort,
The grave, the gay, the witty,
For here I’ll henceforth keep my court,
In this delightful City.