Journeyman, Lyric Variant 02

This item is part of the I. G. Greer Folksong Collection which consists of more than 300 individual song titles and their variants as collected by Isaac Garfield Greer (1881-1967) from informants, primarily in Ashe, Wilkes and Watauga counties. The collection includes manuscripts, typescript transcriptions produced by Dr. Greer’s clerical staff, and handwritten musical notations. Songs range from traditional Child Ballads, traditional English and Scottish ballads as well as their American variants, to 19th century popular music to musical compositions of local origin.

Folk songs, English--United States

Gamblers--Songs and music

Courtship--Songs and music

Mothers and daughters--Songs and music

The Roving Journeyman, Broom Field Town, The Rovin' Gambler, The Guerilla Man, Gamblin' Man, Gamboling Man, Guerilla Boy, The Roving Gambler, The Roving Pedlar

AC.113 Isaac Garfield (I.G.) Greer Papers and Recordings

W. L. Eury Appalachian Collection, Appalachian State University

Greer, I. G. (Isaac Garfield), 1881-1967

PDF

English

Text

The Gambling Man

I am a rovin' gambler
I’ve gambled all around
Wherever I meet with a gambling man
I'd lie my money down.

I've gambled down in Washington,
I've gambled out in Spain.
I'm going down in Georgia,
To gamble my last game.

I had not been in Washington
Many more weeks than three
Till I fell in love with a pretty Miss
And she fell in love with me.

She took me in her parlor.
She cooled me with her fan.
She whispered low in her Mother’s ear
I'm in love with a gambling man.

Mother, O dear Mother,
You know I love you well
But the love I have for the gambling man
No human tongue can tell.

Daughter, O dear daughter,
How could you treat me so?
To leave your dear old Mother
And with a gambler go.

Mother, O Mother,
Forgive me if you can.
If you ever see me coming again,
I’ll be with the gambling man.

Brown, Drink and Gambling Songs - 49 Randolph - 835 Laws, H 4

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