The Roving Gambler

Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional

Played by Jerry Garcia with John Kahn on 2 Feb 1986, and also (with somewhat different lyrics) in pre-Dead days with the Hart Valley Drifters in 1962. And rehearsed by John Dawson and Jerry Garcia in 1969. Thanks to Walter Keenan and Matt Schofield for the lyrics.

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

I've gambled down in Washington
I've gambled over in Spain
I'm going back to Portland
To gamble my last game

Had an Uncle Bill in Portland
Many more weeks but three
I fell in love with a pretty little girl
She fell in love with me

She took me to her parlor
Cooled me with a fan
Whispered low in her mother's ear
I'm in love with a gambling man

Tell me my dear daughter
How can you treat me so?
Save your poor old mother
And with the gambler drove

Mother oh dear Mother
I'll tell you if I can
If you ever see me coming back
It'll be with a gambling man

I am a roving gambler
I've gambled all around
When ever I met with a deck of cards
I laid my money down

I've gambled down in Washington
I've gambled over in Spain
I'm going back to Portland
To gamble my last game
The earlier version by the Hart Valley Drifters is:
I am a roving gambler
I've gambled all around
Wherever I meet with a deck of cards
I lay my money down
Lay my money down, lay my money down

I hadn't been in Frisco
Many more weeks than three
When I fell in love with a pretty girl
And she fell in love with me
Fell in love with me, fell in love with me

She took me to her parlor
She cooled me with a fan
Whispered low in her mother's ear
I love that gambling man
Love that gambling man, love that gambling man

Oh daughter, oh dear daughter
How can you treat me so
To leave your dear old mother
And with a gambler go
With a gambler go, with a gambler go

Oh mother, oh dear mother
You know I love you well
But the love I have for the gambling man
No human tongue can tell
Human tongue can tell, human tongue can tell

Oh mother, oh dear mother
I'll tell you if I can
If you ever see me coming back
It'll be with a gambling man
Be with a gambling man, be with a gambling man

See that a train a-coming
She's coming round the curve
Whistling and a-blowing
And straining every nerve
Straining every nerve, straining every nerve

I am a roving gambler
I've gambled all around
Whenever I meet with a deck of cards
I lay my money down
Lay my money down, lay my money down
Jerry Garcia Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     fall 1962 Folk Time Hart Valley Drifters (note 1)

Notes
(1) also released on Before The Dead


Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography

 


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