Tuning:

Alternatively, you could use Bm7 instead of Em, which isn't how it is in the actual song, but sounds quite good. [Verse 1]

It was ^Gon one ^Dfine March ^Emmorning ^CWhen I ^Gbid New Or^Dleans ad^Gieu. And I was ^Gon the ^Droad to ^EmJackson ^CTown, My ^Gfortunes to re^Cnew. I ^Gcursed all ^Dforeign mo^Emney, ^C No ^Gcredit could I ^Cgain, Which ^Gfilled my ^Dheart with ^Emlonging ^CFor the ^Glakes of ^DPontchar^Gtrain.

[Verse 2] (same as verse 1)

I^G sat on^D board a ra^Emilway car^C Benea^Gth the mor^Dning sun^G, And I rode^G the ra^Dils 'til^Em evening Wh^Cen I lay^G me down again^C. All strang^Gers the^Dre no fri^Emends to^C me, 'Til a da^Grk girl towards me ca^Cme, And I^G fell in l^Dove with a ^EmCreole gir^Cl On the^G lakes of^D Pontcha^Grtrain.

[Verse 3] (same as verse 1)

I^G said, ^D'My pretty ^EmCreole gi^Crl, My mo^Gney here's^D no good^G. If it wer^Gen't fo^Dr the ^Emalligator^Cs I would s^Gleep out in th^Ce woods.' 'You're w^Gelcome ^Dhere, kind str^Emanger. ^C Our^G house is very ^Cplain, But ^Gwe never t^Durn a stran^Emger out ^C On th^Ge lakes o^Df Pontch^Gartrain.'

[Verse 4] (same as verse 1)

S^Ghe took me up ^Dto her m^Emama's hou^Cse, And t^Greated me ^Dright we^Gll. He^Gr hair ^Dupon her^Em shoulders In^C jet-bla^Gck ringlets fe^Cll. To t^Gry to p^Daint her ^Embeauty ^C I'm^G sure 'twould b^Ce in vain, So h^Gandsome wa^Ds my C^Emreole gi^Crl On th^Ge lakes o^Df Pontch^Gartrain.

[Verse 5] (same as verse 1)

I as^Gked her w^Dould she ma^Emrry me^C, But s^Ghe said it^D never w^Gould be, For sh^Ge had g^Dot a lov^Emer an^Cd He^G was off at se^Ca. She sai^Gd that ^Dshe would^Em wait f^Cor him, And^G faithful she'd^C remain, Wait^Ging f^Dor her ^Emsailor ^COn the la^Gkes of Po^Dntchartr^Gain.

[Verse 6] (same as verse 1)

^GSo fare you ^Dwell, my bo^Emnny ol' g^Cirl. I may^G never see y^Dou no mo^Gre, But I ^Gwon't forge^Dt your k^Emindness In^C that co^Gttage by the s^Chore. At ever^Gy so^Dcial g^Ematheri^Cng A g^Golden glass I'l^Cl drain, And I'll dr^Gink a heal^Dth to the C^Emreole gi^Crl On the lak^Ges of Pon^Dtchartra^Gin.

The Be Good Tanyas - Lakes of pontchartrain