Travellin' Man

Folks, let me tell you 'bout a man I know
His home was down in Tennessee
He made his living stealin' chickens
And everything else he could see
One day the sheriff got behind that boy
And he made him take to the road
Ain't never been a passenger train that run so fast
That Joe couldn't get on board

Travelin' man, yes, he must've been a travelin' man
Travelin', a-ramblin' man, he was the swiftest in the land
Gamblin', ramblin' Joe, they knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put, no, he wouldn't give up
And I'll bet he never settled down

Sent that feller to the spring one day
For to fetch a pail of water
The distance from the spring to the house
It was sixteen mile and a quarter
He got the bucket of water alright
But stumped his hole and he fell down
He run to the house and he grabbed another bucket
T'ought the water 'fore it hit the ground

Travelin' man, yes, he must've been a travelin' man
Travelin', a-ramblin' man, he was the swiftest in the land
Gamblin', ramblin' Joe, they knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put, no, he wouldn't give up
And I'll bet he never settled down

Well, he hoboed the great Titanic
Thought he'd try out the ocean blue
And when he seen that old iceberg a-comin'
Right off of that boat, he flew
The rest of them passengers, they hollered and laughed
Said, "Look at what a great big fool"
But while that old boat was a-sinkin'
Joe was shootin' craps in Liverpool

The police finally caught poor old Joe
They sentenced him to hang one day
The solemn old judge looked at Joe and said
"Have you got anything to say?"
Joe looked at the judge and the jury
He said, "Bow down your head in prayer"
He crossed up his legs and then he winked one eye
And went sailin' off through the air
Now, ain't that fate?

Travelin' man, yes, he must've been a travelin' man
Travelin', a-ramblin' man, he was the swiftest in the land
Gamblin', ramblin' Joe, they knowed him in every town
He wouldn't stay put, no, he wouldn't give up
And I'll bet he never settled down