Steamboat Paintings by Jack Woodson Jack Woodson's atmospheric ROB'T E. LEE on some foggy mornin' Down South with a fisherman's little riverside cabin in the foreground. From the warm color scheme on the cabin and it looks like the risin' sun will soon burn off the fog. Jack Woodson's WHIPPOORWILL. Woodson evidently painted this as a piece of "calendar art" which could also be sold as a print in a standard 11 X 14 inch picture frame. Woodson was primarily a nautical artist apparently who specialized in sailing ships at sea rather than riverboats. John Stobart's sea-going ship paintings also outnumber the ones he has done of steamboats on the Inland Waterways. STEAMBOAT BILL First published in 1910 by F.A. Mills Music Publisher 122 West 36th Street, New York City Lyrics by Ken Shields Music by Bert & Frank Leighton As sung by Arthur Collins On the 78 rpm Victor recording made in 1911 Number 16867-A youtube.com Sheet music specified that it was to be played in "Allegro moderato" L Y R I C S: Down the Mississippi steamed the WHIPPOORWILL Commanded by the pilot, Mr. Steamboat Bill. The owners gave him orders on the strict Q.T.* To try and beat the record of the ROBERT E. LEE "Just speed up your fire, let the old smoke roll, Burn up all your cargo, if you run out of coal. If we don't beat that record," Billy told the mate, "Then the MAIDEN CARE'll beat us to the Golden Gate." Oh Steamboat Bill, steaming down the Mississippi. Steamboat Bill, a mighty man was he. Oh Steamboat Bill, steaming down the Mississippi. Gonna beat the record of the ROBERT E. LEE. Up then stepped a gambling man from Louisville, Who tried to get a bet against the WHIPPOORWILL Billy flashed a roll that surely was a bear, The boiler it exploded threw them up in the air. The gambler said to Billy as they left the wreck, "I don't know where we're going, but we're neck-and-neck!" Said Bill to the gambler, "Tell you what I'll do. I'll bet another thousand, I'll go higher than you!" Oh Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi Steamboat Bill, the pilot made him swear Oh Steamboat Bill, he tore up the Mississippi Explosion of the boiler got him up in the air The river's all in mourning now for Steamboat Bill No more you'll hear the puffing of the WHIPPOORWILL There's crepe on every steamboat that plows the stream, From Memphis right to Natchez, down to New Orleans The wife of Mister William was at home in bed, When she got the telegram that Steamboat's dead. Said she to the children, "Blessed honey lambs, The next Papa that you'll have will be a railroad man!" Oh, Steamboat Bill, missing on the Mississippi Oh, Steamboat Bill is with an angel band Oh Steamboat Bill missing on the Mississippi He's a pilot on a ferry in that Promised Land With the exception of images credited to public institutions, everything on this page is from a private collection. Please contact Steamboats.com for permission for commercial use.* All captions provided by Dave Thomson, Steamboats.com primary contributor and historian.