My mother called me to her bedside

These words she said to me

If you don't quit your rambling ways

They're gonna get you in the penetentiary

Gonna get you in the penetentiary poor boy

Gonna get you in the penetentiary

If you don't quit your reckless ways

They're gonna get you in the penetentiary



So I sat myself down in a gambling game

But I could not play my hand

Just thinking about that woman I love

Run away with another man

Run away with another man poor boy

Run away with another man

Just thinking about that woman I love

Run away with another man



The cards came around the table lord

And I had such a worried mind

My stack of gold dollars I wasted away

And I lost about ninety-nine

I lost about ninety-nine poor boy

I lost about ninety-nine

My stack of gold dollars I wasted away

And I lost about ninety-nine



It wasn't very long till I seen him again

He ran away left her behind

And I laid him down with my old forty-four

And the judge gave me ninety-nine

The judge gave me ninety-nine poor boy

The judge gave me ninety-nine

I laid a man down with my big forty-four

And the judge gave me ninety-nine



Well the jury said I had to pay

And the clerk he wrote it down

And the judge called out my number

Two sixes upside down

Two sixes upside down poor boy

Two sixes upside down

The judge called out my number

Two sixes upside down