Sportin' Life - Dave Van Ronk

I got a letter from my home

All of my schoolmates, they’re dead an’gone

It’ll make you worry

It’ll make you wonder 'bout days to come

My mother used to talk to me

I was young and foolish, Brownie could not see

Now, I have no mother, my sisters

And my brothers, they don’t care for me

Mama used to fall on her knees an' pray

These are the words, mother, she used to say

She would say: «Brownie, wha-oh

My son, please change your way»

Now, I’m goin' to change my way

I’m growin' older each and every day

When I was young and foolish

I was so easy, easy to let

I was a gambler and a cheater, too, now

It’s come my turn to lose

This ole sportin' life

Got the best hand, what can I do?

There ain’t but one thing Brownie done wrong

I liv’d that ole sportin' life too long

Friends, it’s no good, please believe me

Please leave it alone