[Verse] 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 gambling man Ma, I love this gambling 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 gambling 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 gambling man With a big gold watch and chain Ma, big gold watch and chain \"And I'd never marry a rail-road man The reason I'll tell you why Never did see a rail-road man Who wouldn't tell his wife a lie Ma, wouldn't tell his wife a lie \"I hear the train a-coming Coming around the curve Whistling and a-blowing And a-straining every nerve Ma, straining every nerve \"It's good-bye, good-bye, mama Tell you if I can If you ever see me coming home again It will be with a gambling man Ma, be with a gambling man.\"