Song #4 - 'The Roving Gambler' - Traditional Folk Song

Well I can't write a better summary than Alan Lomax did in his 1964 book of American Folk Songs:

"A long-time favorite of hobos, hard guys, and men of the roads, this is a travel worn American cousin of the British 'Roving Journeyman'. Variants in which the journeyman has become a soldier, a guerrilla fighter, or gambler have been found throughout the South & southern Midwest."

Lyrics as I sing them:

I am a roving gambler
I've gambled all a around
Whenever I meet with a deck of cards
I lay my money down

I had not been in New York Town
Many more weeks than three
When I fell in love with a pretty girl
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

Well daughter my dear daughter
How can you treat me so
Leave your dear old mama
and with a gambler go

Well mama, dear mama
You know I love you well
But the love I have for the gambling man
No human tongue can tell

And I wouldn't marry a farmer
For he's always in the rain
I'd rather marry a gambling man
with a big gold watch and chain

I hear the train a coming
Coming round the curve
Whistling and blowing
and straining every nerve

I gambled up in Washington
I gambled down in Spain
I'm on my way to Georgia
to gamble my last game

So it's goodbye to you mama
I'll tell you if I can
If you ever see me coming home again
It'll be with the gambling man