I'm a roving gambler, 
And I gamble down in town.
Whenever I meet with a deck of cards,
I lay my money down, 
Boys,I lay my money down
I've gambled up in Washington,
Gambled down in Maine,
I'm on my way to Georgia
To knock down my last game, 
Boys, knock down my last game.
Well, I had not been in Washington,
Many more weeks than three,
When I fell in love with a pretty
Little girl,
And she fell in love with me.
And she fell in love with me.
She took me in her parlor, 
She cooled me with her fan,
She whispered low in her mama's ear,
"I love this gamblin' man,
Ma, I love this gamblin' man."
"Well, daughter, my dear daughter,
How can you treat me so,
To leave your poor old mama,
And with this gambler go,
And with this gambler go?"
"Well, mama, my dear mama,
You know I love you well,
But the love I hold for a gamblin'
Man
No human tongue can tell,
Ma, no human tongue can tell.
"I'd never marry a farmer,
He's always in the rain.
I'd rather marry a gamblin' man
With a big gold watch and chain,
Ma, big gold watch and chain.
"And I'd never marry a railroad man,
The reason I'll tell you why,
Never did see a railroad man
Who wouldn't tell his wife a lie,
Ma, wouldn't tell his wife a lie.
"I hear the train a-comin',
Comin' around the curve,
Whistling and a-blowin'
And a-strainin' every nerve,
Ma, strainin' every nerve.
"It's good-bye, good-bye, mama,
Tell you if I can,
If you ever see me comin' home again,
It will be with a gamblin' man,
Ma, be with a gamblin' man."