I am a rovin' gambler--
I've gambled all around--
And wherever I see a deck of ca-a-ards,
I lay my money down,
lay my money down,
I lay my money down.

I've gambled down in Washington,
ga-ambled up in Maine;
I'm headed down to Tenessee-ee-ee
to knock down my last game,
knock down my last game,
to knock down my last game.

I had not been in Washington
many more weeks than three,
when I fell in love with a pretty little ga-a-al,
and she fell in love with me,
fell in love with me,
she fell in love with me.

She took me to her parlor;
she cooled me with her fan;
she whispered in her mother's e-e-ear,
"I love that gamblin' man,
love that gamblin' man,
I love that gamblin' man.

"I wouldn't marry a railroad man;
this is the reason why:
I've never seen a railroad ma-a-an
wouldn't tell his wife a lie,
tell his wife a lie,
wouldn't tell his wife a lie.

"Oh, Mother, oh dear Mother,
I'll tell you if I can:
if you ever see me comin' ba-a-ack,
it'll be with a gamblin' man,
be with a gamblin' man,
it'll be with a gamblin' man."

I am a rovin' gambler--
I've gambled all around--
and wherever I see a deck of ca-a-ards,
I lay my money down,
lay my money down,
I lay my money down.
And wherever I see a deck of ca-a-ards,
I lay my money down,
lay my money down,
lay my money down.