THREE ARMED, POKER-PLAYIN' RIVER RAT
As recorded by The Everly Brothers
(From the 1972 Album STORIES WE COULD TELL)


[Intro]
      

[Verse 1]
       
In the summert

ime in 1861
          
And I was livi

n' near to Cai

ro town
             
Only 20 years 

              
old  when  I s

              
tepped aboard 

        
the River Quee

n
       
Well a man wal

ked  up in a s

hiny blue suit
         
He said “Son y

ou wanna play 

some cards?”
             
It was the thr

              
ee-armed poker

             
 playin' river

              
 rat from New 

  
Orleans

[Verse 2]

Well we sat do

wn to play a l

ittle game of 

Black Jack
        
And the folks 

how they gathe

red round
             
And then he st

              
arted to deal 

              
so fast my hea

              
d commenced to

 
 spin
       
In one hand he

 had a drink

In one hand he

 had a smoke
       
In one hand he

 had a royal f

lush
             
Dirty three-ar

              
med poker play

             
in' river rat 

           
from New Orlea

ns

[Guiatr Solo]
            

[Verse 3]
           
You know I pla

yed ‘til I was

 broke

Then I upped a

nd walked away
          
To have a talk

 with a gal I'

d found
             
For to get som

              
e sympathy for

              
 way the stran

            
ger treated me
        
Well he walked

 up as bold as

 brass

Put two arms a

round her wais

t
             
And with the o

ther hand he k

nocked me down
             
I hate the thr

              
ee-armed poker

             
 playin' river

              
 rat from New 

  
Orleans

[Guitar Solo]
         

[Verse 4]
        
And now mornin

g has come to 

rolling River 

Queen
          
Where the gamb

lin' man slept

 last night
             
Folks say he f

              
ell overboard,

              
 and was washe

         
d out to sea
             
And here I'm s

              
itting here in

             
 a shiny blue 


suit
       
Just a-grinnin

' like a crazy

 fool
             
Kinda wonderin

             
' what to do w

              
ith the other 


sleeve
             
I hate that th

              
ree-armed poke

             
r playin' rive

              
r rat from New

   
 Orleans