| In the summertime in 1861 |
| And I was livin' near to Cairo town |
| Only 20 years old when I stepped aboard the River Queen |
| Well a man walked up in a shiny blue suit |
| He said «Son you wanna play some cards?» |
| It was the three-armed poker playin' river rat from New Orleans |
| Well we sat down to play a little game of Black Jack |
| And the folks how they gathered round |
| And then he started to deal so fast my head commenced to spin |
| In one hand he had a drink |
| In one hand he had a smoke |
| In one hand he had a royal flush |
| Dirty three-armed poker playin' river rat from New Orleans |
| La la la, La la la na |
| La la la, La la la na |
| You know I played ‘til I was broke |
| Then I upped and walked away |
| To have a talk with a gal I’d found |
| For to get some sympathy for way the stranger treated me |
| Well he walked up as bold as brass |
| Put two arms around her waist |
| And with the other hand he knocked me down |
| I hate the three-armed poker playin' river rat from New Orleans |
| La la la, La la la na |
| And now morning has come to rolling River Queen |
| Where the gamblin' man slept last night |
| Folks say he fell overboard, and was washed out to sea |
| And here I’m sitting here in a shiny blue suit |
| Just a-grinnin' like a crazy fool |
| Kinda wonderin' what to do with the other sleeve |
| I hate that three-armed poker playin' river rat from New Orleans |