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Capo on 2nd fret
nd Fret
Intro: G ~ Em C G ~ Em C G D C G C ~ Em C D Em
G ~ Em
Well, I'll tell you 'bout a gambler, folks, Jim Weaver was his name
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And I don't know where he came from, but gambling was his trade
C G D
Ride in here close beside me, I'll tell you about a game
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The damnedest game in all my years I ever did see played
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Some said they'd seen him play before down on the Barbary Coast
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He said that might be true enough, 'cause he'd gambled all around
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And he lost his stake to a jack high straight out at Sutter's Fort
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But he'd saved a little poke in case of a game within our town
Chorus:
Em G ~ Em
And a lady loves a gambler, running loose, running free
C G ~ Em
I felt a tremble deep inside when I turned around to see
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He was looking hard at me
G ~ Em
Now the game was set in daddy's tent, an honest man, you know
C G ~ Em
And all the boys in town were set to take Jim Weaver's gold
C G D
'Cause digging gold is hard work and panning is too slow
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And I saw Jim Weaver smiling at some little private joke
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Well, by midnight he had all the gold that the boys in town had saved
C G ~ Em
They never caught him cheating, though they watched him all the while
C G D
And he never lost a single hand at any game he played
C G C D Dsus2 Dsus4 D
He never lost a dollar, boys, and he never lost his smile
Chorus:
Em G ~ Em
And a lady loves a gambler, smiling free, smiling wide
C G ~ Em
I knew I wouldn't rest 'til I was smiling by his side
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Smiling as we'd ride
G ~ Em
Soon all the boys were busted flat, but they wanted still to play
C G ~ Em
So they asked Jim Weaver what was left to gamble in the game
C G D
He said he'd cut high cards one time and if he lost he'd pay
C G C D Em C D7 Em
But if he won they had to swear to give the town his name
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And he told my daddy he would bet ten dollars on the side
C G ~ Em
And I could be my daddy's stake, if I would so agree
C G D
And I rode out of Weaverville next morning as his bride
C G C D Dsus2 Dsus4 D
And I left the town that bears the name of the gambling man and me
Chorus:
Em G ~ Em
And a lady loves a gambler if he cheats all the same
C G ~ D
And no one saw me slip to him the ace that won the game
C D Em C D7 Em
And gave the town our name
Written by Mary McCaslin/Jim Ringer