The Lakes of Pontchartrain chords by Planxty

This song is traditional and thought to have been composed by an Irish immigrant shortly after the American civil war. Irish immigrants landed on the east coast of the United States in considerable numbers during the 1840s and 1850s. Many headed West working on the railroads and as farmhands. Over 200,000 Irish fought in the American Civil War and it is hardly surprising that songs with Irish influence from this period are common. "The lakes of Ponchartrain" traveled the English speaking world, and was soon adopted back home in Ireland. It tells the story of a tired traveler in the Southern States who, finding his confederate money worthless, is taken in by a beautiful Creole girl whom he meets on the lakes of Ponchartrain. This version is sung by Christy Moore with harmony from other Planxty members. The rendition is wistful and lacks the drive of other versions, notably Paul Brady's excellent version. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.