Gambler's Blues Lyrics

Dave Van Ronk Gambler's Blues

It was down at Old Joe's bar room
On a corner of the square
They were serving drinks as usual
And the usual crowd was there
On my left stood Big Joe McKennedy
His eyes were bloodshot red
Turned to the crowd around him
These are the very words he said
I went down to that St-James Infirmary
I saw my baby there
Stretched out on a long white table
So sweet, so cold, so fair
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
Never find a sweet man like me
When I die please bury me
In my high-top Stetson hat
Put a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch-chain
Let God know I died standing pat
I want six crapshooters for pallbearers
A chorus girl to sing me a song
Put a jazz band on my hearse wagon
To raise hell as I stroll along
Roll out your rubber tired carriage
Roll out your rubber tired hack
Twelve men going to the graveyard
Ain't no living comin' back
Now that I've told my story
I'll take an other shot of booze
And if anybody happens to ask you
I've got those gamblers blues
Let her go, let her go, God bless her
Wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
Never find a sweet man like me
Doo dooo....