American Old Time Song Lyrics: 52 That's What By Gosh

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 52

THAT'S WHAT, BY GOSH!
Copyright, 1896, by H. W. Petrie.
Words by Phil Gibbons. Music by W. C Parker.

You may take me for a hayseed, a reuben, or a jay­That's what, by gosh!
But you bet I ain't no monkey-jack you meet with every day­That's what, by gosh!
For I've taken all the prizes down at the county fair,
And can wrestle anybody from a baby to a bear;
I'm a Hick'ry Jackson Democrat, that was never known to scare­That's what, by gosh!

When I get full on cider, I go spiling for a fight­That's what, by gosh!
I run my house to suit myself, my wife keeps out of sight­That's what, by gosh!
For the farm hands they can't hold me when I go on a spree;
I'm a regular ring-tail snorter and I'm up to snuff, you See;
And I do not care for anyone that doesn't Care for me­That's what, by gosh!

Now, I've never been to England, and I've never been to France­That's what, by gosh!
But sometimes I go to town ball, to hear them sing and dance­That's what, by gosh!
Now there's Parson Jones and Deacon Brown and I went to the play,
We sat right down together, just behind the orchestra:
We were flirting with the ballet girls, but our wives gave us away­That's what, by gosh!

Election times are coming, and may the boat man win­That's what, by gosh!
If you want to get an office now you've got to spend your tin­That's what, by gosh!
For I once run for Squire, and before I got seated
I bought a German brewery, and the neighbors all I treated:
Next day I read the papers through, and saw I was defeated ­That's what, by gosh!

The other night I heard a song that made me awful tiled­That's what, by gosh!
They say the man that wrote it at the time was quite inspired­That's what, by gosh!
At every turn I take I hear the chestnut melody,
It haunts me day and night wuss'n any goll-darned flea:
If I caught the cuss that, wrote it I would hang him to a tree­That's what, by gosh!