The lyrics you have there for the Rise Again songbook are close the version Hedy West learned from her father, who learned the song as a child from Etta Mulkey of Gilmer County, North Carolina. Hedy called it "Gambling Man".

I am a roving gambler
I've gambled down in town
Wherever I see a deck of cards
I lay my money down
I've gambled down in Mexico
And I've gambled up in Maine
I'm going back to Georgia
And gamble my last game.

And gamble my last game
And gamble my last game
I'm going back to Georgia
And gamble my last game.

I went down in the country
I did not go to stay
I fell in love with a pretty little girl
And I could not get away
She took me in her parlor
And cooled me with her fan
And whispered in her momma's ear
"I love that gambling man".

"I love that gambling man".
"I love that gambling man".
And whispered low in her momma's ear
"I love that gambling man".


Oh, daughter, my dear daughter,
How could you ever stand
To leave your dear old mother here
And go with a gambling man
Oh, mother, my dear mother,
You know I love you well.
But the love I have for the gambling man
No human tongue can tell.

No human tongue can tell.
No human tongue can tell.
But the love I have for the gambling man
No human tongue can tell.



My father was a gambler
He taught me how to play
He taught me how to stand my hand
To ace, deuce, jack, and trey
I've gambled down in Mexico
And I've gambled up in Maine
I'm going back to Georgia
And gamble my last game.

And gamble my last game
And gamble my last game
I'm going back to Georgia
And gamble my last game.


wg