Verse: 1 
               D 
Away down yonder in the state of Arkansas 
G 
Where my great-grandpa met my great-grandma 
C 
They drink apple cider and they get on a jag, 
F                                    A7 
And dance all night to the Salty Dog Rag. 
D 
They play an old fiddle like you never heard before, 
G 
They play the only tune that they ever did know- 
C 
It's a ragtime ditty and the rhythm don't drag, 
F                              C         F 
Now everybody's dancing to the Salty Dog Rag. 


[Refrão]

D7 
One foot front, drag it back, 
G7 
Then you start to ball the jack. 
C 
You shake and you break and then you sag. 
F                                        A7 
If your partner zigs, you're supposed to zag. 
D7 
Your heart is light, you tap your feet 
                        G7 
In rhythm with that ragtime beat. 
C 
Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag 
F                          C         F 
And dance all night to the Salty Dog Rag. 

Verse: 2 
               D 
Away down South 'neath the old Southern moon, 
G 
The possum's up a tree and the hounds've treed a coon 
C 
They hitch up a buggy to the broken-down nag 
F                                   A7 
And go out dancing to the Salty Dog Rag. 
D 
They tune up the fiddle and they rosin up the bow. 
G 
They strike a C chord on the old banjo 
C 
Then holler hang on 'cause we ain't gonna drag. 
F                                    C        F 
Now here's the way you dance to the Salty Dog Rag. 


[Refrão]
 
D7 
One foot front, drag it back, 
G7 
Then you start to ball the jack. 
C 
You shake and you break and then you sag. 
F                                        A7 
If your partner zigs, you're supposed to zag. 
D7 
Your heart is light, you tap your feet 
                        G7 
In rhythm with that ragtime beat. 
C 
Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag 
F                          C         F 
And dance all night to the Salty Dog Rag.