Have you ever took a boat ride
Down the Mississippi
Well, if you do
You ought to take it on the Ella be
Yes, she starts off in St. Louis Missouri
And she takes you down to New Orleans
And on out to the sea
Well you heard about the good Queen Mary
Sailing on the seven seas
But you ain't never took no boat ride
Till you been riding on the Ella be
Her accommodations are among the best
You get three square meals a day
And a place to rest
We can just smells them ol hot biscuits
And that country ham
That old fried chicken,
Mash potatoes and the candied yam
Well you heard about the Constitution
Fighting the revolutionary war
Well ? America's inland neighbor
She's the finest running shore to shore

Mm... It takes about a week
To get back down that there river
But once you get on board
You can wish it would last forever
Oh you just sit out on the deck
And fish off the side all day
Watch the sunny south land roll on by
And dream your blues away
Well you heard about the ship Titanic
A sailing on the northern sea
But you ain't never took no boat ride
Till you been ridin' on the Ella be
be - eee- be-eee hee hee be - eee

Copyright: Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Writer(s): RUSSELL SMITH