Schwa Lyrics

Mississippi Steamboat

Lyricist: John Mullins
Vocalist: John Mullins

Gonna hop a freight train and take it on down,
Take along my best suit of clothes.
Get on down to some Ohio River town,
And sail on down to Cairo.
Mississippi Steamboat I'm headed your way,
Gonna walk your plank from the shore,
Sit myself down by the nearest deck of cards,
On a muddy river of gold.

Sittin' in the back room with my grampa
When I was only a boy,
He's tellin' stories and playin' cards till dawn.
Old Mississippi Steamboat.
Took two years just to save enough
To bankroll my big chance.
But I'm hopin' by the time I reach New Orleans
That I'll be a wealthy man. Live while I can.

I sat down and got settled for the game.
I watched the others cold stare.
My first night on the River queen,
All I could find was a air. Woke up the next day halfway broke.
Took a stop in Tennessee.
Down on Beale St. I had the blues,
But I Memphis girl was good to me.

Sat down again the following night.
Suited up and ready to play.
Hopin' that the cards would be on my side,
I only had one more day.
Took a while but I evened it up,
Lady Luck was holding my hand.
And you know boy, by the time the sun came up,
I was  a wealthy man. Live while I can.