Johnny Horton - The Battle of New Orleans video free download

The Battle of New Orleans was written by Jimmie Driftwood. The song details the 1815 Battle of New Orleans from the perspective of an American fighting alongside Andrew Jackson against British forces, but the tone is lighthearted. It has been recorded by many artists, but the one most often associated with this song is Johnny Horton his version was released as a single in 1959.

Driftwood, a school principal in Arkansas with a passion for history, set a historical account of the battle to this music in an attempt to get students interested in learning history. It worked, and Driftwood became well known in the region for his historical songs.

The Battle of New Orleans

In 1814 we took a little trip

Along with Colonel Jackson

down the mighty Mississip.

We took a little bacon

and we took a little beans

And we caught the bloody British

in the town of New Orleans.

[Chorus:]

We fired our guns and the

British kept a'comin.

There wasn't nigh as many

as there was a while ago.

We fired once more and

they began to runnin' on

Down the Mississippi

to the Gulf of Mexico.

We looked down the river

and we see'd the British come.

And there must have been a hundred of'em

beatin' on the drum.

They stepped so high

and they made the bugles ring.

We stood by our cotton bales

and didn't say a thing.

[Chorus]

Old Hickory said we could

take 'em by surprise

If we didn't fire our muskets

'til we looked 'em in the eye

We held our fire 'til we

see'd their faces well.

Then we opened up with squirrel guns

and really gave 'em ... well

[Chorus]

Yeah, they ran through the briars

and they ran through the brambles

And they ran through the bushes

where a rabbit couldn't go.

They ran so fast that the hounds

couldn't catch 'em

Down the Mississippi

to the Gulf of Mexico.

We fired our cannon

'til the barrel melted down.

So we grabbed an alligator

and we fought another round.

We filled his head with cannon balls,

and powdered his behind

And when we touched the powder off,

the gator lost his mind.

[Chorus]

Yeah, they ran through the briars

and they ran through the brambles

And they ran through the bushes

where a rabbit couldn't go.

They ran so fast

that the hounds couldn't catch 'em

Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.