[Verse 1]
        G
We were forty miles from Albany and
   C        D     G
Forget it I never shall
       C        D        G        C
What a terrible storm we had that night
       G    D   G
On the E-ri-e Canal
       G    D   G
On the E-ri-e Canal

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo

[Verse 2]
    G
We were loaded down with barley
    C          D       G
And chock-full up with rye
    C        D         G       C
The captain, he looked down on me
       G      D      G
With a dirty, wicked eye
       G      D      G
With a dirty, wicked eye

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo

[Verse 3]
          G
Well, the captain he stood up on deck
       C        D      G
With a spyglass in his hand
        C      D      G      C
And the fog it was so tarnal thick
        G        D       G
That he couldn't spy the land
        G        D       G
That he couldn't spy the land

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo

[Verse 4]
     G
Now, two days out from Syracuse
    C      D        G
The vessel struck a shoal
   C          D      G         C
We soon would all be foundered on
  G             D     G
A chunk of Lackawanna coal

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo

[Verse 5]
   G
We hollared to the Captain
       C       D       G
On the towpath treadin dirt
   C         D         G            C
He jumped on board and stopped that leak
         G       C       G
With his old red flannel shirt
         G       C       G
With his old red flannel shirt

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo

[Banjo/Guitar Solo]
G 
C D G
C D G C G D G 
G D G

[Verse 6]
    G
The cook she was a grand old gal
    C      D      G
She wore a ragged dress
   C       D     G      C
We heisted her upon the mast
     G       D     G
As a signal of distress
     G       D     G
As a signal of distress

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo

[Verse 7]
         G
Now, the captain he got married
        C       D      G
And the crew is all in jail
    C       D    G         C
And I'm the only sea cooks son
       G       D        G
That's left to tell the tale
       G       D        G
That's left to tell the tale

[Chorus]
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D           G     C
And I scarcely think we'll get a drink
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo
        G
Oh, the E-ri-e was a-risin'
        C         D       G
And the gin was a-gettin' low
      C        D                 G            C
And I scarcely think we're gonna get a little drink
        G          D       G
'Til we get to the city of Buffalo
        G      D    G
'Til we get to Buffalo