Sportin' Life
Reflections on Life's Gamble: Sportin' Life by Dave Van Ronk
Lyrics
I got a letter from my home,
I received a letter from my home.
All of my schoolmates, they're dead an'gone
All of my schoolmates have passed away.
It'll make you worry,
This news or situation will cause concern.
It'll make you wonder 'bout days to come
It will make you reflect on and question the future.
My mother used to talk to me,
My mother used to advise me.
I was young and foolish, Brownie could not see
During my youth, I was naive and couldn't see certain things.
Now, I have no mother, my sisters
Now, I don't have a mother, and my siblings are indifferent to me.
And my brothers, they don't care for me
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Mama used to fall on her knees an' pray,
Mama used to pray on her knees.
These are the words, mother,she used to say
These are the words my mother used to say.
She would say: "Brownie, wha-oh,
She would say: "Brownie, my son, please change your way."
My son, please change your way"
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Now, I'm goin' to change my way,
Now, I am determined to change my ways.
I'm growin' older each and every day
I am getting older with each passing day.
When I was young and foolish,
During my youth, I was gullible and easily influenced.
I was so easy, easy to let
I was easily swayed and deceived.
I was a gambler and a cheater, too, now,
I used to be a gambler and a cheater.
It's come my turn to lose
Now, it's my turn to face loss.
This ole sportin' life,
This lifestyle of indulgence and risk-taking has the upper hand.
Got the best hand, what can I do?
I am dealt the best hand in this sporting life, and there's little I can do.
There ain't but one thing Brownie done wrong,
There's only one thing I, Brownie, did wrong.
I liv'd that ole sportin' life too long
I lived the sporting life for too long.
Friends, it's no good, please believe me,
Friends, it's not beneficial; please believe me.
Please leave it alone
Please stay away from it.
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