Lyrics to “Camptown Races”, sometimes referred to as “Camptown Ladies”, by Stephen Foster. It is also known as “De Camptown Races”, although its official title is “Gwine to Run All Night”. Camptown is a town in Pennsylvania and a horse race which was five miles long took place from Camptown to Merryall, Pennsylvania.

“Gwine to Run All Night”

by Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864

De Camptown ladies sing dis song — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
De Camptown racetrack five miles long — Oh, doo-dah day!
I come down dah wid my hat caved in — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
I go back home wid a pocket full of tin — Oh, doo-dah day!

Chorus:
Gwine to run all night!
Gwine to run all day!
I’ll bet my money on de bob-tail nag,
Somebody bet on de bay.

De long tail filly and de big black hoss — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
Dey fly de track and dey both cut across — Oh, doo-dah day!
De blind hoss sticken in a big mud hole — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
Can’t touch bottom wid a ten foot pole — Oh, doo-dah day!

Chorus repeat

Old muley cow come on de track — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
De bob-tail fling her ober his back — Oh, doo-dah day!
Den fly along like a railroad car — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
Runnin’ a race wid a shootin’ star — Oh, doo-dah day!

Chorus repeat

See dem flyin’ on a ten mile heat — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
Round de race track, den repeat — Oh, doo-dah day!
I win my money on de bob-tail nag — Doo-dah! Doo-dah!
I keep my money in an old tow bag — Oh, doo-dah day!

Chorus repeat