I came from Salem City, With my washbowl on my knee. I'm going to California The gold dust for to see. It rained all night the day I left, The weather it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to death- Oh, brothers, don't you cry!
Oh, California, That's the land for me! I'm bound for San Francisco With my washbowl on my knee!
I jumped aboard the 'Liza ship And traveled on the sea, And every time I thought of home I wished it wasn't me! The vessel reared like any horse That had of oats a wealth; I found it wouldn't throw me, so I thought I'd throw myself! I thought of all the pleasant time We've had together here, I thought I ought to cry a bit, But couldn't find a tear. The pilot bread was in my mouth, The gold dust in my eye, And though I'm going far away, Dear brothers, don't you cry! I soon shall be in 'Frisco, And there I shall look around, And when I see the gold lumps there I'll pick them off the ground. I'll scrape the mountains clean, my boys, I'll drain the rivers dry, A pocketful of rocks bring home- So, brothers, don't you cry!

I Come from Salem City is a parody of the popular song “Oh! Susanna” (1848) by Stephen Foster. The sailor version here invokes tales of the gold rush from Forty-Niners rounding Cape Horn for the San Francisco Bay. Evidently, the song saw a surprisingly long life aboard ships.

Frank Shay (An American Sailor's Treasury) categorizes the song as a forecastle ballad, sung for recreation and entertainment. It was also used while working around the capstan.