I come from a family of non-musical people. We like to sing, offkey, we can dance to the rhythm and enjoy many type of music. As children our home was filled with the sounds of “polka music” on the radio, Lawrence Welk, Ed Sullivan and even the sounds of “Hee Haw.”

In college I majored in primary education. To become a certified primary teacher in Wisconsin I had to meet the music requirement of the college, i.e., play a children’s song on a musical instrument. I chose to learn a song on the piano as I thought this would be the easiest instrument I could learn. I have no idea why, but I chose the song “Sweet Betsy from Pike” which was a children’s song of the time and I remembered singing it in school as a child.

I had never touched a piano so the first thing I needed to do was obtain a piano. My mother found an old upright piano advertised for sale in the local newspaper. I don’t recall how we got it in the house but I still remember where we had it placed in the living room. At the time I was living in an apartment with college friends and had to travel to my parent’s house to practice my song. I will admit that my brothers and parents went through some ear popping times as I learned that song.

After many painful hours of practice (self-taught) I was summoned to play my song choice. I don’t know how I did it, but I passed the music requirement and went on to become an elementary school teacher. I never used a piano in my classroom. Record players worked just fine!

Sweet Betsy From Pike

Pioneer Song, 1849
Written By: Unknown
Copyright Unknown

Did you ever hear of
Sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide prairies
With her husband, Ike,
With two yoke of cattle
And one spotted hog
A tall Shanghai rooster
And an old yeller dog?

Sing toorali, oorali, oorali ay
Sing toorali, oorali, oorali ay

The alkali desert
Was burning and bare
And Ike cried in fear,
“We are lost, I declare!
My dear old Pike County,
I’ll go back to you.”
Said Betsy, “You’ll go by yourself,
If you do.”

Sing toorali, oorali, oorali ay
Sing toorali, oorali, oorali ay

They swam the wide rivers
And crossed the tall peaks
They camped on the prairie
For weeks upon weeks
They fought off the Indians
With musket and ball
And reached California
In spite of it all

Sing toorali, oorali, oorali ay
Sing toorali, oorali, oorali ay