I went down to old Joe's barroom
On the corner by the square
The drinks they were served as usual
And the usual crowd was there

On my left stood old Joe McKennedy
His eyes they were bloodshot red;
He turned to the crowd around him
And these are the words he said:

"I went down to the St. James Infirmary,
I saw my baby there
She was lying on a long white table
So cold, so sweet, so fair

Let her go, let her go, God bless her,
Wherever she may be
She can search the whole wide world over
She'll never find a man like me

When I die I want you all there to bury me
In my box-top Stetson hat
Put a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain
So the boys'll know I died standin' pat

I want six gamblers to be my pallbearer,
A pretty girl to sing me a song
Put the Three Ball on my hearse wagon
We'll raise hell as we roll along

Now that you've heard my story
Won't you pour me another shot of booze
And if anyone should stop here to ask you
Tell them I've got the gambler's blues."