Image Credit:  Two Sacagawea Dollar Coins of the 2000 D series, depicting Sakakawea and her infant son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau on one side, and an American Bald Eagle in flight on the other side.

Lake Sakakawea

 

Song lyrics by Chrome Dome Mike Kimbro

 

A relyric of the J. P. Richardson song “Running Bear”.

 

Consider reading along to my Spoken Verse Performance.

 

Here is Tomy Lee Dudley's Rockin' Performance!

 

 

Tomy Lee's gorgeous Gretsch Electromatic is a classic pawn shop guitar.

A pic of the Gretsch Electromatic G1619 guitar in sparkle red played by Colorado musician Tomy Lee Dudley in this song of North Dakota, bought by the author from a Cash America Pawn Shop in Fort Worth, Texas.

VERSE 1

 

Williston, North Dakota

Not a Shangri La, no,

 

Nor paradise.

 

It's a long way from Sarasota.

 

But the summers are quite nice.

 

 

Mining black gold is their passion.

 

And the pay checks make them smile.

 

Coveralls are in high fashion.

 

Here's what makes it all worthwhile...

 

 

CHORUS


When they're fishing Lake Sakakawea,

 

Tell the boss to take a hike.

 

Cause they're fishing Lake Sakakawea.

 

Caught a walleye and a pike.

 


 

VERSE 2

Support your favorite Williston State College Team     

The Williston State College varsity women's volleyball team of 2014, known as the Lady Tetons.

The living’s great ‘round Watford City,

 

If your into fracking shale.

 

There’s no debate, the girls are pretty.

 

I don’t mind if they’re kind of pale.

 

 

Is Dakota where I’ll reside?

 

Well I’ll tell ya:  “That depends.

 

The Bakken field does have a down side:

 

I don’t have any female friends."

 


CHORUS


When I’m fishin' Lake Sakakawea,

 

Tell the girls to take a hike.

 

Cause I’m fishin' Lake Sakakawea.

 

Caught a walleye and a pike.

 

 

VERSE 3

 

Photo of a statue of Lewis and Clark expedition member Sacagawea carrying her son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau on display at the National Cowgirl Museum in Fort Worth, TX.

With each catch we should give thanks to.

 

The brave men who headed West.

 

But a squaw was in those canoes

 

Jean Baptiste was at her breast.

 

 

Forging rivers, climbing passes.

 

While potty training her papoose.

 

That Shoshone saved their asses.

 

Greeting chiefs and cooking moose.

 


CHORUS

 

Now we're fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

Told the boss to take a hike.

 

Cause we're fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

Caught a walleye and a pike.

 

 

VERSE 4

 

Once in a dream, I hooked a big trout,

 

With my trusty ultralight.

 

We battled hard.  The reel it sang out.

 

A pic of a Native American Barbie Doll, found at the Exit 76 Antique Mall in Edinburgh, Indiana.

A state record was in my sights!

 

 

How my forearm burned like fire.

 

Then it surfaced we could see.

 

A paddlefish was on the wire.

 

So we had to set her free.

 


CHORUS

 

When I’m fishin' Lake Sakakawea

 

Tell the world, to take a hike.

 

Cause I’m fishin' Lake Sakakawae

 

Caught a walleye and a pike.

 

 

VERSE 5

 

Studly Beau came up from Georgia,

 

Where he made the ladies swoon.
 

Told the girls he drove a Porsche.

 

Then he sang a country tune.

 

When he saw her, in that sweater,

 

A steady thing was what he yearned.

 

…yeah, right…

 

She knew his kind.  Said he’d better

 

Come up with his tax return.

 


CHORUS

Here's a tan and black leather clad Barbie Doll package which celebrates the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company of Milwaukee, WI.


Now he's fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

Told the girls to take a hike.

 

Cause he's fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

Caught a wall-eye and a pike.

 

 

VERSE 6

 

In Garrison they pickle walleye.

 

Yeah it's kosher, should you care.

 

Their firemen they throw a fish fry,

 

So delicious you'll move up there.

 

 

Every weekend on my Harley.

 

Of it's beauty I did gloat.

 

Had too much drink of corn and barley.

 

Had to trade it for a boat.

 

 

CHORUS


Now I'm fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

Tell the world to take a hike.

 

Cause I'm fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

For a walleye and a pike.

 

 

Photo of the sculpture of Sacagawea by artist Glenna Goodacre of Sante Fe, NM on display at the National Cowgirl Museaum in Fort Worth, TX.

VERSE 7

 

Now let's ask them:  "Is it worth it,

 

High pressure mining for the crude?"

 

If they’re lucky they unearth it.

 

If they don't then they’re so screwed.

 

 

CHORUS


When we're fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

Tell the world to take a hike.

 

Cause we're fishing Lake Sakakawea

 

For a walleye and a pike.

 

 

THE END

 

 

Copyright © Michael Kimbro 2014.  All rights reserved.

 

 

Photo of a statue of Sacagawea of the Shoshone Native American Indian Tribe on display at the National Cowgirl Museum in Fort Worth, Texas.