I was down at old Joe's barroom
A corner by the square.
The drinks were served as usual,
Well, a goodly crowd was there.

On the left stood Joe McKenzie,
His eyes all bloodshot red.
He gazed at the crowd about him,
Boys, this is what he said:

As I passed St. James' Infirmary,
I seen my good gal there.
She was all stretched out on a cold, white table,
So cold, so sweet, so fair.

I may be killed on the ocean
May be struck by a stray cannonball.
You can write in life's history
That a woman was the cause of it all.

If I die, little woman, won't you bury me?
On my tombstone write the letters in black,
Sayin', "There lays my hard-workin' daddy,
Great God, won't you please bring him back?"

I work in these old coal mines
Sundays and all night long,
Tryin' to provide for my wife and baby,
But now she's took it and gone.

Let her go, let her go, God bless her,
She's mine wherever she may be,
She may travel this whole world over,
She'll never find a pal like me.

Want eight easy dice-rollin' hustlers,
Four black-headed women to sing a song.
Fill my casket with moonshine whisky
So I can drink while the hearse rolls on.

Oh, now you've heard my story,
I'll take another shot of booze.
If anybody happens to ask you,
You can tell 'em I've got the poker-playin' blues.