Walking Down Canal Street

"Walking Down Canal Street" is a drinking song from Roaring Twenties New York, describing Canal Street.

There are variations and additional impromptu verses.

Max Hunter collected a version of this song from Charles Varley on January 19, 1967, in Hope, Arkansas (See here). This recording is now on the Southern Missouri State University website online archive of the Max Hunter Collection.

In 2015, the rugby team at the University of Mary Washington was dissolved indefinitely after a recording of team members singing a version of the song was publicized.

Lyrics
Each line is usually first sung by the lead singer, then repeated by the group.

"Walking down Canal street Knocking on every door Goddamn son of a bitch I couldn't find a whore I finally found a whore She was tall and thin Goddamn son of a bitch I couldn't get it in I finally got it in Worked it all about Goddamn son of a bitch I couldn't get it out I finally got it out It was red and sore The moral of this story is To never fuck a whore Six weeks later I went for a piss Goddamn son of a bitch She gave me syphilis! Nine months later I'd forgotten what I did Goddamn son of a bitch She brought me home a kid!"