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