I Am A Roving Gambler
The Brothers Four Lyrics


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I am a roving gambler
I've gamble all around
And wherever I see a deck of cards
I'll lay my money down
Lay my money down
I'll lay my money down.

I've gambled down in Washington
Gambled up in Maine
I'm headin' down to Tennessee
To knock down my last game
To knock down my last game
To knock down my last game.

I had not been in Washington
Many more weeks than three
When I fell in love with a pretty little gal
And she fell in love with me
Fell in love with me.
She fell in love with me.

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

"I wouldn't marry a railroad man
This is the reason why
I never seen a railroad man
Wouldn't tell his wife a lie
Tell his wife a lie.
Wouldn't tell his wife a lie.''

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

I am a roving gambler
I've gamble all around
And wherever I see a deck of cards
I'll lay my money down
Lay my money down.
I'll lay my money down.

And when I see a deck of cards
I'll lay my money down




I'll lay my money down.
Lay my money down...

Overall Meaning

The Brothers Four's song I Am A Roving Gambler is about a man who is a passionate gambler and has traveled everywhere to play his game of cards. The lines "I am a roving gambler, I've gambled all around" establish the same idea, and the chorus reflects his obsession with gambling, stating that wherever he sees a deck of cards, he will bet all his money on it. He has played in various places ranging from Washington to Maine, and in the end, he is heading to Tennessee to play his last game.


In the song's second and third verse, he mentions his encounter with a beautiful girl while he was in Washington. He eventually falls in love with her, and she reciprocates the feelings. However, her mother disapproves of their relationship, and the girl defends the man by asking her to love him despite his gambling habit. She realizes that she has fallen for him and would rather be with him and his obsession for playing cards than to be with a railroad man who would never tell his wife a lie. Therefore, the song's central theme is gambling and how it can consume someone's life entirely, even if they fall in love.


Line by Line Meaning

I am a roving gambler
I'm a wandering gambler.


I've gambled all around
I have played games everywhere.


And wherever I see a deck of cards
Whenever I spot a deck of cards anywhere,


I'll lay my money down
I'll bet my money on it,


Lay my money down
Bet the money without any hesitation.


I've gambled down in Washington
I've played games in Washington before,


Gambled up in Maine
I've also gambled in Maine,


I'm heading down to Tennessee
I'm going to Tennessee next,


To knock down my last game
To win my last game,


To knock down my last game
To win my last game,


I had not been in Washington
I hadn't spent more than three weeks in Washington,


Many more weeks than three
Just three weeks,


When I fell in love with a pretty little gal
When I fell in love with a beautiful woman,


And she fell in love with me
And she reciprocated my love.


She took me to her parlor
She invited me to her living room,


She cooled me with her fan
She cooled me down with her handheld fan,


She whispered in her mother's ear
She told her mother secretly,


''I love that gambling man,
''I adore that gambler,


Love that gambling man
I love that gambler.''


''I wouldn't marry a railroad man
''I wouldn't marry a railroad worker,


This is the reason why
I have a good enough reason for this decision,


I never seen a railroad man
I've never met a railroad worker,


Wouldn't tell his wife a lie
Who wouldn't lie to his wife.''


Tell his wife a lie.
Who wouldn't deceive his wife.''


''Oh mother, oh dear mother
''Oh mother, my dear mother,


I'll tell you if I can
I'll tell you if I'm able,


If you ever see me coming back
If you ever see me come back,


It'll be with a gamblin' man
It will be because I will be with a gambler,''


Be with a gamblin' man
I'll be with a gambler.''


I am a roving gambler
I'm a wandering gambler.


I've gambled all around
I have played games everywhere.


And wherever I see a deck of cards
Whenever I spot a deck of cards anywhere,


I'll lay my money down
I'll bet my money on it,


Lay my money down
Bet the money without any hesitation.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Carlyle Woodard

Bought this album from a friend in college,1962,still have it.Still like it.Love the Bros 4.

Nazare Maria Maria

Adoro

Michael MR

This is another favourite off of this album that I appropriated from my brother a long time ago.

Bob Bills

Jim Reeves Covered this in his Film ‘Kimberley Jim’, I had no idea it was a cover until today!

Yvonne Albrecht

That's my favorit - nr. 1

Jake Rutigliano

Didn’t these guys sing the songs for Chirin no Suzu?

Rungroch Srichamorn

**OK**

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