The Jolly Gambler
- Geoffrey Clarfield
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Written on April 6, 2024. Words and Music © 2025 by Geoffrey Clarfield.
The Jolly Gambler
There was once a jolly gambler
He gambled all alone
He’d gamble at the table
And he’d gamble at his home
He’d gamble at his table
And he’d gamble at his home
And he took a twenty dollar bill
From deep inside his fold
He’d take on any challenger
In Black Jack I was told
He’d take on any challenger
In Black Jack I was told
And he took his twenty dollars
Multiplied ten fold
He was like a workin' shepherd
From a Bible tale we're told
He was like a working shepherd
From a Bible tale we know
And he bought a bag of leather
And a hat with silver trim
He bought himself
A safe of lead
For his winnings to put in
He bought himself
A safe of lead
For his winnings to put in
And he went from town to city
And in Bristol I was told
He found a fair young lady
With hair that shined like gold
Yes, he found a fair young lady
With hair that shined like gold
And the trees were all a dancin'
And the frogs let out a call
The people they were prancin'
When they married in that hall
Oh yes the people they were prancin'
When they married in that hall
Now some say it was winter
Around 1864
Oh, Jeff Davis he had worries
Worries about the war
Oh, Jeff Davis he had worries
Worries about the war
So, he summoned those two gamblers
He said I’ve heard your straight
I'm told that you could smuggle gold
Across them pearly gates
I'm told that you could smuggle gold
Across them pearly gates
Oh yes sir we are honest
As man and wife must be
We were promised to each other
Pledged for eternity
Promised to each other
Pledged for eternity
They took 10,000 pounds of gold
On a freight train they did ride
They took 10,000 pounds of gold
And no one looked inside
They took 10,000 pounds of gold
And no one looked inside
They road out West
As far as they could
Away from General Grant
The husband to his wife declared
We can but they can’t
The husband to his wife declared
We can but they can’t
If you ever visit Tucson
There’s a mansion on a hill
And in it lives two gamblers
I believe they live there still
And in it lives two gamblers
I believe they dwell there still