> Steeleye Span > Songs > Camptown Races

Camptown Races

[ Roud 11768 ; Ballad Index RJ19039 ; Mudcat 42872 ; Stephen Collins Foster (1826-1864)]

Steeleye Span sang Camptown Races in a “live cut” during the warm-up of the recording session for their’s 1976 album Rocket Cottage with notes and laughter from the band; recorded by Mike Batt without them knowing. The track isn’t mentioned in the album’s liner notes; but the LP definitely holds five tracks on side 2! On the CD reissue, this is one track together with The Drunkard.

Lyrics

Steeleye Span sing Camptown Races

Intro (Dulcimer) Woooh…

Camptown racetrack five miles long
Doo-dah doo-dah
The Camptown ladies sing this song
Doo-dah doo-dah day

Camptown racetrack five miles long
Doo-dah doo-dah
Camptown ladies sing this song
Doo-dah doo-dah day

Gwine to run all night
Gwine to run all day
I’ll bet my money on the bob-tail nag
Somebody bet on the bay

I’m gwine to run all night
Oh, I’m gwine to run all day
I’ll bet my money on the bob-tail nag
And somebody bet on the bay

Ending (Fiddle)