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The Devil and the Delta Queen

from Traveller's Moon by Adam McBride-Smith

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lyrics

The Devil and the Delta Queen

I hitched a ride on the Delta Queen
Headed down to New Orleans
Fire in her belly
And the river rolling wild

I’ve cut cards on many a shore
Some leave rich and some leave poor
Some they never leave at all
But me I just keep moving

Through the smoke and the gaslight glare
In the deck saloon they turned to stare
A score of ragged gamblers
Their faces pale and worn

And at the head the dealer sat
In a bearskin coat and a silk cravat
A silver watch hung upon a chain
And I sat down to join the game

So round the room the cards did fall
And the bets were placed and the raises called
I had two diamonds in the hole
And the queen on the table

And in the dark the wind turned round
And nearly stove the boat a ground
The rain came tumbling from the sky
To batter on the boards

At last the dealer he did call
And the diamonds from my hand did fall
But a straight flush fell straight across the face
Of the timid queen I courted

So I reached to open up my purse
And found that I was doubly cursed
For stolen or mislaid it was
Nowhere to be found

“Fear not my friend,” the dealer said
“For having fallen in the red,
We offer credit to he who renders
Up a minor guaranty.”

I said, “No property of merit
Nor of wealth did I inherit.”
Said the dealer with a devilish grin,
“Then on your soul we’ll wager.”

Now I’m headed down to New Orleans
With the devil and the Delta Queen
Fire in her belly
And the river rolling wild

And the pitch black men by the boiler door
You can hear them cry beneath the floor
Singin’ “oh my lord, deliver me!”
But the wheel keeps on turning

And like so many men before
I left my home upon the shore
I lost the last I had to give
But still the game goes on

And if I ever win it clean
And I get off the Delta Queen
Gonna dig a hole by the river side
And lay my money down

credits

from Traveller's Moon, released April 20, 2012

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Adam McBride-Smith Portland, Oregon

Adam McBride-Smith grew up in Oklahoma, but has called many places home since then. His first album, "Good and Gone" was released in 2007. Adam's 2nd album, "Traveller's Moon", was recorded with the help of the War Eagles (backing band for Langhorne Slim) along with fiddler Abe Streep and singer Marisa Frantz. It was released in 2012 on Wild Honey Records. Adam lives in Portland, OR. ... more

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