Monongahela Sal

(Robert Schmertz: recorded 1947.)



She was born in an old Mannessan Alley

Her Ma and her Pa named her Sal

She Grew up to be the pride of the valley,

Typical Monongahela gal.



She was smart, she was pert, she was pretty---

And the bloom of health was on her cheeks

But she bought it in Monongahela City

And the druggist swore that it would last for weeks.



cho: Roll on, roll on Monongahela,

Roll on past the O-Hi-O

Roll past the All-i-quippy,

Down to the Mississippi

Clear to the Gulf of Mexico.



One night Sal was strollin' by the river

When she saw the "Jason" standing nigh

Her heart gave a leap and a quiver

When she spied the handsome pilot's roving eye.



His name, you must know, was Moat Stanley

And he wore a fancy sporting coat.

He was tall, dark and handsome, and manly

Slickest pilot ever steered a boat.



cho: Roll On, roll on Monongahela,

Where the catfish and the carp left long ago.

You used to be so pure,

But now you're just a sewer,

You're messing up the Gulf of Mexico.



Well, Moat gave a toot on the whistle

And the "Jason" backed water at the stern,

And Sal, stepping light as a thistle

Stepped up and took Moat Stanley's hand in her'n.

It was love, careless love, by the river

It was love, careless love, by the shore.

And I'm sure that the good Lord will forgive her,

For she never knew what love was like before.



cho: Roll On, roll on Monongahela.

Away from the ice and snow,

I think you're mighty lucky

To roll past old Kentucky,

Clear to the Gulf of Mexico.



He swore that he always would love her

As they locked through the old Amsworth dam.

But that night, overboard he did shove her

And then Moat Stanley took it on the lam.



Well, no one could say our Sal was sickly.

She didn't even take time out to bawl.

She just high-tailed it out for Souickly

Slappin' out a fast Australian crawl.

cho: So Roll on, roll on, Monongahela

And lap the waters gently at Dravo

Where they're back to making barges

At much more normal charges

Than the LSTs they made a year ago.



Then Sal jumped a freight for Rochester

She swore she would have Moat Stanley's gore.

From a yard bull who tried to molest her

She went and took a great big '44.



Now Sal hit the grit, right at Beaver

And the Jason was a-comin' round the bend

In the pilot house stood Moat, the gay deceiver

Says Sal," I'm sure to get him in the end."



cho: Roll on, roll on, Monongahela,

And blow, gentle breezes, blow

'Cause it's getting mighty smoggy

And the folks are getting groggy

I've lived here all my life and I should know.



So raisin' that big shooting iron

Sal pumped six bullets into Moat

And when she had finished her firin'

She'd sure messed up that fancy sporting coat.



Now Sal to the judge said, "Good Mornin!"

The jury foreman said," Not Guilty, gal";

So let all you pilots take warnin'

Don't mess around Monongahela Sal!



cho:



From: Penn. Songs and Legends, Korson et al, Johns Hopkins Press

@water @love @murder @river

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