Well, I'll tell you 'bout a gambler, folks, Jim Weaver was his name
And I don't know where he came from, but gambling was his trade
Ride in here close beside me, I'll tell you about a game
The damnedest game in all my years I ever did see played
Some said they'd seen him play before down on the Barbary Coast
He said that might be true enough, 'cause he'd gambled all around
And he lost his stake to a jack high straight out at Sutter's Fort
But he'd saved a little poke in case of a game within our town
And a lady loves a gambler, running loose, running free
I felt a tremble deep inside when I turned around to see
He was looking hard at me
Now the game was set in daddy's tent, an honest man, you know
And all the boys in town were set to take Jim Weaver's gold
'Cause digging gold is hard work and panning is too slow
And I saw Jim Weaver smiling at some little private joke
Well, by midnight he had all the gold that the boys in town had saved
They never caught him cheating, though they watched him all the while
And he never lost a single hand at any game he played
He never lost a dollar, boys, and he never lost his smile
And a lady loves a gambler, smiling free, smiling wide
I knew I wouldn't rest 'til I was smiling by his side
Smiling as we'd ride
Soon all the boys were busted flat, but they wanted still to play
So they asked Jim Weaver what was left to gamble in the game
He said he'd cut high cards one time and if he lost he'd pay
But if he won they had to swear to give the town his name
And he told my daddy he would bet ten dollars on the side
And I could be my daddy's stake, if I would so agree
And I rode out of Weaverville next morning as his bride
And I left the town that bears the name of the gambling man and me
And a lady loves a gambler if he cheats all the same
And no one saw me slip to him the ace that won the game
And gave the town our name