| I am a roving gambler, I’ve gambled down in town | 
| Whenever I meet with a deck of cards I lay my money down. | 
| Lay my money down, lay my money down | 
| I had not been in Washington not many more weeks than three | 
| When I fell in love with a pretty little gal, she fell in love with me. | 
| Fell in love with me, fell in love with me She took me in her parlor, she cooled me with her fan | 
| She whispered low in her mother’s ear, «I love that gambling man.'' | 
| Love that gamblin' man, love that gamblin' man | 
| «Daughter, oh dear daughter, how can you treat me so? | 
| To leave your dear old mother, and with a gambler go?'' | 
| With a gambler go, with a gambler go | 
| I’ve gambled down in Washington; | 
| I’ve gambled over in Spain | 
| I’m goin' down to Georgia to gamble my last game. | 
| Gamble my last game, gamble my last game | 
| «Oh mother, oh dear mother, you know I love you well | 
| But the love I have for this gambling man, no human tongue can tell.'' | 
| No human tongue can tell, no human tongue can tell | 
| «I hear that train a-coming, coming 'round the curve | 
| A-whistling and a-blowing straining every nerve.» | 
| Strainin' every nerve, strainin' every nerve | 
| «Mother, oh dear mother, I’ll tell you if I can | 
| If you ever see me comin' back, I’ll be with the gambling man. | 
| Be with the gambling man. | 
| Be with the gambling man.» | 
| I am a roving gambler, I’ve gambled down in town | 
| Whenever I meet with a deck of cards I lay my money down. | 
| Lay my money down, lay my money down |