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Well, I spent the better part of my life |
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On a Mississippi riverboat |
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I used to be known from coast to coast |
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As the slickest gambler afloat. |
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I've dealt the cards from Minnesota |
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To the harbor in New Orleans |
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I made a lotta big money on the riverboat |
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I loved a lotta pretty riverboat queens. |
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Riverboat, riverboat |
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I love your whistle's wail |
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I wish I was back on the riverboart |
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'Stead of in the Memphis jail. |
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Oh, a big man got on the riverboat |
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Our last time in St. Paul |
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He had a lotta money but his luck went bad |
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And the riverboat won it all. |
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He said I dealt from the bottom of the deck |
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And he pulled a shiny knife |
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But before that gambler lunged at me |
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My .44 took his life. |
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Riverboat, riverboat |
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I love your whistle's wail |
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I wish I was back on the riverboart |
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'Stead of in the Memphis jail. |
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Well, they came on the boat and they took me to jail |
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When we got to Tennessee |
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A gamblin' man has very few friends |
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Guess nobody cared for me. |
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So I might be here for a many long years |
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But if I ever get out |
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I'm gonna head straight for that levee |
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And get me a riverboat headin' south. |
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Riverboat, riverboat |
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I love your whistle's wail |
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I wish I was back on the riverboart |
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'Stead of in the Memphis jail. |
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'Stead of in the Memphis jail... |