Showboat Gambler
England Dan Lyrics
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Abound for New Orleans
And again I'll get that feeling that I'm free
Her paddle wheels will churn
And her smoke stacks they will burn
And slowly I'll be carried to the sea
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
Big Muddy will always be my home
I know every river ship 'cause I've taken every trip
And I know every captain by his name
In the eyes of every man, I can tell what's in his hand
I guess that I have played in every game
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I make my livin' on the run
I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
Big Muddy will always be my home
Tonight I'm a-sittin' here beneath a chandelier
There's a lady here to light my big cigar
And if luck will be my friend, we'll be finished up by ten
And we'll be standin' on the decks beneath the stars
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I make my livin' on the run
I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
Big Muddy will always be my home
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I make my livin' on the run
I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
Big Muddy will always be my home
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I make my livin' on the run
I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
Big Muddy will always be my home
...
In the song "Showboat Gambler," England Dan & John Ford Coley sing about a gambler who travels on riverboats for his livelihood. The character in the song is a rambler, who makes his living on the run, without any ties or responsibilities. He boards the Delta Queen bound for New Orleans, where he gets that feeling of being free. The paddle wheels and smoke stacks on the boat will carry him away to the sea. He claims that the "Big Muddy" will always be his home, referring to the Mississippi River, which is sometimes called the "Big Muddy."
The chorus of the song repeats the lines "I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler/I make my livin' on the run." He claims to have taken every trip on every river ship and knows every captain by name. He also feels that he has played in every game and can read the eyes of every man to tell what's in his hand. The lyrics suggest that he is a skilled gambler and has spent a lot of time on riverboats.
In the final verse, the character is sitting beneath a chandelier with a lady to light his cigar. He hopes that luck will be on his side, and he'll finish his game by ten, so they can stand on the deck to see the stars, and once again, he'll feel free. Overall, the song is about a gambler, who lives his life on riverboats and values his freedom more than anything.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight I'll board the Delta Queen
Tonight, I'll go on board the Delta Queen.
Abound for New Orleans
I'm heading to New Orleans.
And again I'll get that feeling that I'm free
I'll experience the feeling of freedom once again.
Her paddle wheels will churn
The paddle wheels of the Delta Queen will rotate.
And her smoke stacks they will burn
The smoke stacks of the Delta Queen will emit smoke.
And slowly I'll be carried to the sea
Gradually, I'll be taken out to sea.
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I'm a wanderer and a gambler on showboats.
I make my livin' on the run
I earn my livelihood by being on the move.
Big Muddy will always be my home
The Mississippi River will always be my home.
I know every river ship 'cause I've taken every trip
I'm familiar with every river ship because I've travelled on all of them.
And I know every captain by his name
I can identify every captain by name.
In the eyes of every man, I can tell what's in his hand
I can tell every man's intentions by just looking at his eyes.
I guess that I have played in every game
I suppose I have played every gambling game there is.
Tonight I'm a-sittin' here beneath a chandelier
I'm sitting under a chandelier tonight.
There's a lady here to light my big cigar
A lady is here to light up my large cigar.
And if luck will be my friend, we'll be finished up by ten
If luck is on my side, I'll finish everything by ten.
And we'll be standin' on the decks beneath the stars
Then we'll be standing on the deck under the stars.
'Cause I'm a rambler, a showboat gambler
I'm still the same wandering, gambling guy.
I make my livin' on the run
I continue to make my living on the go.
Big Muddy will always be my home
The Mississippi River will never stop feeling like home.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, GET SONGS DIRECT
Written by: JAMSE (JIMMY) SEALS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind