I went down to St. James Infirmary Saw my baby there Stretched out on a long white table So sweet, so cold, so fair Let her go, let her go! God bless her Wherever she may be She can look this wide world over She'll never find a sweet man like me When I die, want you to dress me in straight lace shoes Box-back coat and a Stetson hat Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain So the boys will know that I died standin' pat

It was down in Old Joe's barroom At the corner by the square The drinks were served as usual And the usual crowd was there Now on my left stood Big Joe McKennedy His eyes were bloodshot red And as he looked at the gang around him These were the very words he said: I went down to the St. James Infirmary I saw my baby there Stretched out on a long white table So young, so cold, so fair Seventeen coal black horses Hitched to a rubber-tired hack Seven girls goin to the graveyard Only six of them are coming back Well let her go, let her go God bless her, wherever she may be She may search this wide world over And never find another man like me Oh, when I die, just bury me In my high top Stetson hat Place a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain To let the Lord know I died standin' path I want six crap shooters for pall bearers A chorus girl to sing me a song Place a jazz band on my hearse wagon Just to raise hell as we roll along Well now that you've heard my story I'll take another shot of booze And if anyone here should ask you I've got the gambler's blues