GAMBLING POLKA DOT BLUES
(Jimmie Rodgers / Raymond Hall)


Jimmie Rodgers - 1931
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys (vocal: Tommy Duncan) - 1938
Jerry Jerico with Ben Christian & His Texas Cowboys - 1949
Tommy Duncan & His Western All Stars - 1949
Buddy Williams - 1951
Hank Snow - 1960
Merle Haggard & The Strangers - 1976
Original Texas Playboys - 1977
Van Williams - 1983
Don Walser - 1999

Also recorded by: 
Jim Eanes with Red Smiley & The Blue Grass Cut-Ups;
Thomas Fraser; Dean Mitchell; Britt Gully.



I thought I was a gambler
Broke every shark in town
Until I met a rounder
Who called all I put down

We laid the cards on the table
He drew an ace-high hand
He bet his watch and I called it
And lost my money like a man

I've got them polky dot blues, oh, them polky dot blues
Lost my hat and my coat and my straight lace shoes
I sold my watch and went back to lose
Them mean old gambling polky dot blues
The gambling polky dot blues

(Instrumental Break)

My gal had plenty and I got twenty
Then went back aand sat down
I got a four, but I thought it was more
As we dealt the cards around

I set the deck on the table 
And bet him all I could stand
I turned over a measly four 
He had another ace-high hand

I've got them polky dot blues, oh, them polky dot blues
Lost my hat and my coat and my straight lace shoes
I sold my watch and went back to lose
Them mean old gambling polky dot blues
The gambling polky dot blues 



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - October 2017)