Santee Anna

The US General Taylor beat the Mexican General Santa Ana at The Battle of Molina del Rey (Buena Vista). Quite a number of British seaman deserted their ships to join Santa Ana’s “wild and ragged army”. Britishers, it would appear, favoured the cause of the Mexicans. According to Hugill, many shanties, including this one, appear to have been taken by cowboys and used as camp fire songs.

Santy Ana

Oh, San-ty Ana gained th' day,
Hooray, Santy Ana!
Oh, San-ty Ana gained th' day,
All on the plains of Mexico!
 
Oh,Mexico oh Mexico
Hooray, Santy Ana!
Oh, Mexico where I must go
All on the plains of Mexico!
 
The little girls I do adore
Hooray, Santy Ana!
Their shining eyes and long black hair
All on the plains of Mexico!
 
Why do those girls love me so?
Hooray, Santy Ana!
Because I don’t tell em all I know
All on the plains of Mexico!
 
When I was a young man in my prime
Hooray, Santy Ana!
I took them young girls two at a time
All on the plains of Mexico!
 
Them Liverpool girls ain’t got no comb
Hooray, Santy Ana!
They comb their hair with a kipper back bone
All on the plains of Mexico!
 
Times is hard and the wages low
Hooray, Santy Ana!
It’s time for us to roll and go
All on the plains of Mexico!