There was a Yankee Colonel   In 1862 who fell in love   With a Southern belle   Where the sweet Magnolias bloom      He wondered why folks laughed at him   When he went riding by   But little did he know that she was   A-courting on the side      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-blind   Joe's been a gettin' there   All this time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-fly   Joe's been a-gettin' there   In his time      He walked her up the mountain   He named it to her there   He offered her a band of gold   And his name to share      She said that she would marry him   And even set the day   But little did he know that   She loved a soldier boy in gray      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'   Joe's been a gettin' there   All this time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'   Joe's been a-gettin' there   In his time      She took the love he offered   She took his silver too   She took every little thing from   Colonel dressed in blue      She wouldn't let him hold her   In a fond embrace and   When he tried to kiss his bride   She laughed right in his face      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'   Joe's been a gettin' there   All this time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'   Joe's been a-gettin' there   In his time      He woke up one morning   And found himself alone   And all she left was a letter   That said, "Good-bye, farewell, I'm gone"      No doubt, he was a mighty man   Where the heroes fell   But all is fair in love and war   And he lost his Southern belle, yeah      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'   Joe's been a gettin there   All this time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin   Joe's been a-gettin' there   In his time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'   Joe's been a gettin there   All this time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin   Joe's been a-gettin' there   In his time      Joe's been a-gettin' there   Joe's been a-flyin'