Camptown Races
Si Zentner Lyrics
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Oh I'll go back home with my pocket full of tin oh doo-dah day
Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
I'll bet my money on the bobtail nag, somebody bet on the bay.
Well, the Camptown ladies sing this song doodah doodah
Ah the Camptown race track's five miles long oh doo-dah day
Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
The lyrics to Si Zentner's song Camptown Races is about a horse racing event and the people who participate in it. The singer of the song came down with a hat caved in, which could mean he had a difficult journey or that he is in a bad mood. However, he is optimistic that he will go back home with his pocket full of tin. This can be interpreted as winning a large amount of money from betting on the races. The singer then declares that he will bet on the bobtail nag, which is a horse with a short tail, and challenges someone to bet on the bay (a horse with a brown coat).
The Camptown ladies in the next verse are singing a song, which is presumably about the upcoming race. The Camptown race track is said to be five miles long. The singer is determined to run all night and all day, indicating that the event will be a long one. He then repeats his earlier bet on the bobtail nag, encouraging someone to bet on the bay. The song celebrates the excitement and thrill of horse racing, as well as the opportunity to bet and win money.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I came down there with my hat caved in
I arrived at the location feeling down and defeated, symbolized by my hat being crushed or collapsed.
Oh I'll go back home with my pocket full of tin oh doo-dah day
I am confident that I will leave the location with a lot of money, and I express this sentiment with the cheerful refrain 'doo-dah day.'
Goin' to run all night, goin' to run all day
The race I am participating in requires endurance and constant effort, which I emphasize by saying I will be running all day and all night.
I'll bet my money on the bobtail nag, somebody bet on the bay.
I am placing my wager on the underdog, represented by the bobtail nag, while acknowledging that someone else is betting on the favorite, represented by the bay horse.
Well, the Camptown ladies sing this song doodah doodah
The local women at Camptown are known for singing this tune repeatedly, represented by the refrain 'doodah doodah.'
Ah the Camptown race track's five miles long oh doo-dah day
The race track at Camptown is a considered a long one, spanning five miles, but I express my optimism by repeating the cheerful refrain 'doo-dah day.'
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TRADITIONAL
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