River drivin on the Sacandaga
Floatin on a slippery log
Sleepin in a frozen bog

My girl’s waitin for me
Hard boiled eggs three times a day
Wet as beavers we hit the hay
Not much sleep but great good pay
My girl’s waitin for me

Big French Joe and I went out
To break a jam when I heard him shout
Prenez guard and the jam went out
My girl’s waitin for me
Big French Joe the logs drowned him
He had no chance to fight or swim
With the logs jammed up to the river’s rim
My girl’s waitin for me

His girl comes to me and cries
If he’s dead then I shall die
My petit he used to sigh

My girl’s waitin for me
We will find him down below
Around the bend where the water is slow
Floatin with his pike in tow
My girl’s waitin for me

My petit will wring her hands
As we scrape away at the yellow sand
And bury him by the river strand
My girl’s waitin for me
One more night and one more day
And the logs will reach the river bay
I’ll skin off these togs and I will say
My girl’s waitin for me