The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #107642 Message #2233661
Posted By: Joe Offer
11-Jan-08 - 03:06 AM
Thread Name: Online Songbook:Put's Original California Songster
Subject: ADD: The Gambler (John A. Stone)
The Gambler [AIR—Bob-Tail Mare.]
A Gambler's life I do admire, Du-da, du-da, The best of rum they do require, Du-da, du-da, da; The poker sharps begin to pout, Du-da, du-da, I played all night and cleaned them out, Du-da, du-da, da.
Chorus: I'm bound to play all night, I'm bound to play all day; I bet my money on the ace and king, Who dare bet on the trey
Monte's mighty hard to beat, Du-da, du-da, They say the dealer's bound to treat, Du-da, du-da, da; Bar-keeper, give me a glass of porter, Du-da, du-da, Gin for me, with a glass of water, Du-da, du-da, da.
Chorus: I'm bound to play all night, I'm bound to play all day; I bet my money on the ace and king, Who dare bet on the trey?
The king's a lay out from the top, Du-da, du-da, That's where I let my money drop, Du-da, du-da, da; I like to deal, and I like to buck, Du-da, du-da, I'm down on noisly chuck-aluck, Du-da, du-da, da.
Chorus: I'm bound to play all night, I'm bound to play all day; I bet my money on the ace and king. Who dare bet on the trey?
There's faro, sledge, and twenty-one, Du-da, du-da, For me to beat 'tis only fun, Du-da, du-da, da, Gamblers, always hold your tongue, Du-da, du-da, French monte-dealers have, all been hung, Du-da, du-da, da.
Chorus: I'm bound to play all night, I'm bound to play all day; I bet my money on the ace and king. Who dare bet on the trey?
What will we do these license times, Du-da, du-da, I'll steal before I'll work the mines, Du-da, du-da, da; The miners used to bet their dust, Du-da, du-da, But now they lay it away to rust, Du-da, du-da, da.
Chorus: I'm bound to play all night, I'm bound to play all day; I bet my money on the ace and king. Who dare bet on the trey?
I used to wear a ruffled adurt, Du-da, du-da, But now I'm covered with rags and dirt, Du-da, du-da, da; A Colt's revolver and a Bowie-knife, Du-da, du-da, I'm bound to gamble all my life, Du-da, du-da, da.
Chorus: I'm bound to play all night, I'm bound to play all day; I bet my money on the ace and king. Who dare bet on the trey?
Put's Original California Songster, pp. 35-36
Lyrics and tune in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush, p. 110-111
(tune is better known as "De Camptown Races") [AC: "Camptown Races", by Stephen Collins Foster, 1850. Sheet music (PDF) in the Levy Collection; Mudcat thread]