The Ballad of John Banvard

We’re selling off Glen Ada by the pound
Moving west to Watertown to die in South Dakota
Fleeing from the Barnum side
I watch the Mississippi flow. That river that I know so well
I thought it saved me ‘cause it carried me so far

Through my designs the river unwinds
The crank turns as lines form outside
There’s no time to lose so the show moves to Boston
And then New York is mine

And you wouldn’t think to stop here
You’d probably be inclined to carry on with so many miles to cover
So many miles to cover
When just a three mile painting can show 3000 of the mighty Mississip
Pay no attention to the others. You pay no attention to the others

But that is not enough for me
My river flows across the sea
I meet with Queen Victoria. London and Paris adore me
And still the audience wants more. There’s imitations by the score
But none of them can touch my paintings of these shores

And through my designs the river unwinds
The crank turns as I play the guide
And now I’ve toured the world
Sketched the Nile and Palestine
And the ol’ Mississp’s brung a million to me

And you wouldn’t think to stop here
You’d probably be inclined to carry on with so many miles to cover
So many miles to cover
When just a three mile painting can show 3000 of the mighty Mississip
Pay no attention to the others. You pay no attention

But my museum can’t survive a war that’s waged with ads that lie
That bastard Barnum touts his fakes as artifacts
And all of the sudden I am poor. Investors pounding at my door
The Broadway drags me down and then it’s time to pack

And you wouldn’t think to stop here
You’d probably be inclined to carry on with so many miles to cover
So many miles to cover
When just a three mile painting can show 3000 of the mighty Mississip
Pay no attention to the others. You pay no attention to the others