- Artists add
Carly Simon
Riverboat gambler, riverboat gambler lyrics.
Ask specific questions and get answers to unlock more indepth meanings & facts.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
The Meaning Behind The Song: Riverboat Gambler by Jimmie Skinner
As a music journalist, I often find myself diving into the rich stories and emotions behind some of the greatest songs ever written. Today, I want to share with you the meaning behind the timeless classic “Riverboat Gambler” by Jimmie Skinner.
Table of Contents
I first heard this song on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I stumbled upon it at a friend’s house. Immediately, I was captivated by the haunting melody and Skinner’s soulful vocals. It was as if the song transported me to a different era, where life on the Mississippi River was both exhilarating and dangerous.
The Journey Begins
Skinner’s lyrics paint a vivid picture of a riverboat gambler who made a living betting his roll on Jacks and Queens. This mysterious character finds himself onboard an old riverboat, making his way to the vibrant city of New Orleans.
With each line, Skinner beautifully captures the essence of an era long gone. The imagery of the boat backing away from the shore and the gambler standing on the deck, knowing he will never return, creates a sense of adventure and melancholy.
A Life of Gambling
Skinner delves into the gambler’s life, where luck and skill go hand in hand. We witness the gambler at the poker table, shuffling cards with precision and dealing them out without uttering a single word. His prowess is evident as he wins every hand, never experiencing defeat.
Through these verses, Skinner explores the allure and excitement of gambling. It’s a world where the highs are exhilarating, and the constant possibility of losing keeps players on their toes. The riverboat gambler becomes a symbol of resilience, risking everything for that elusive jackpot.
The Twist of Fate
Just as the gambler’s winnings mount, a gun-hand named Jack offers a warning. He reveals that luck alone cannot secure victory in the game of life. However, before the gambler can process these words, tragedy strikes.
In a moment of betrayal, a pistol sounds, and the riverboat gambler falls to the floor. It is revealed that an Ace was tucked in his sleeve, tarnishing his reputation and sealing his fate. His days of gambling are abruptly ended, leaving behind a legacy of boldness and deceit.
The Legacy Lives On
“Riverboat Gambler” is a quintessential country and western song that showcases Jimmie Skinner’s masterful storytelling abilities. It serves as a reminder of the temptations and risks that come with a life on the edge, while also celebrating the allure of the unknown.
The song was released in December 1959, and it has remained a beloved classic ever since. Through its timeless lyrics and Skinner’s emotive delivery, “Riverboat Gambler” continues to captivate audiences, transporting them to a bygone era of excitement and danger.
So next time you find yourself yearning for a taste of nostalgia, put on “Riverboat Gambler” by Jimmie Skinner. Let the haunting melody and poignant lyrics take you on a journey down the Mississippi River, and immerse yourself in the world of the riverboat gambler.
Album title: Country & Western (A Ride Through History • 1924-1960): CD 37 – History Of 1960 Part 1 (2012)
Written By: Vernon W. Lyons & Jimmie Skinner
Release Date: December 1959
Explore More Song Meanings
Greta Van Fleet
Chris Isaak
Olivia Rodrigo
About The Author
Kay Stevenson
Leave a comment cancel reply.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Legends of America
Traveling through american history, destinations & legends since 2003., george devol – old west card sharp.
George Devol
“I don’t know just how thick my old skull is, but I do know that it is pretty thick, or it would have been cracked many years ago, for I have been struck some terrible blows on my head with iron dray-pins, pokers, clubs, stone-coal, and bowlders, which would have split any man’s skull wide open unless it was pretty thick. Doctors have often told me that my skull was nearly an inch in thickness over my forehead.”
– George Devol, Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi
George H. Devol was the greatest riverboat gambler in the history of the Mississippi River. He was also a con artist, a fighter, and a master at manipulating men and their money.
Born on August 1, 1829, in Marietta, Ohio, George Devol was the youngest of six children. His father was a ship carpenter and was often away from home. Though Devol had good opportunities for early education, he didn’t like school and spent most of his time playing hooky. The unmanageable boy was also prone to fighting, coming home almost daily with scratches and bruises from his numerous scuffles. When a teacher attempted to discipline him with a hardy whipping, he would turn on them, hitting them with stones that he carried in his pocket. While his father was away building boats much of the time, his mother would be forced to call in a neighbor or passerby to help with his punishment.
Devol ran away at the age of ten, serving as a cabin boy on a riverboat steamer called the Wacousta . Evidently, Devol did a good job in this capacity as he soon took a better-paying job on a boat called Walnut Hills .
Another boat came soon after – the Cicero , where Devol learned to play “Seven-Up” and the art of bluffing. Seeing the high lifestyle of the professional gamblers on the boat, Devol was determined to follow in their footsteps, and by the time he was in his teens, he could deal seconds, palm cards, and recover the cut.
Fighting would continue to be a natural part of his life, and he soon developed skills with a gun, never hesitating to pull it.
By the time the Mexican War broke out, he was on a boat called the Tiago . Soon, Devol thought it a good idea to go to war and got a job as a barkeeper on the Corvette , bound for the Rio Grande and Mexico.
While aboard the Corvette, he met a man who taught him how to “stock a deck.” Upon reaching the Rio Grande and joining the forces, he quickly utilized his newly learned skills to swindle the other soldiers. But he grew bored with soldiering, and with his pockets filled with his ill-earned gains, he returned to New Orleans, although not for long.
At the tender age of 17, Devol’s pockets were filled with almost three thousand dollars as he headed back home to Ohio, laden with gifts for his family.
While back in Ohio, he mastered the games of Faro and Rondo. Devol continued to hone his skills and made hundreds of thousands of dollars in the years before the Civil War . Working the steamboats of the South, he joined in with other card sharps, including Canada Bill Jones , Bill Rollins, Big Alexander, and many others over the years.
Playing Faro
One trick that Devol liked to play was betting against ministers, who inevitably lost their meager wages to the professional gambler. However, Devol would always return their money, along with this advice: “Go and sin no more.” But to the many soldiers, paymasters, farmers, thieves, and businessmen, he was not so kind.
When the war was over, the railroads began to head west, with settlements sprouting up all along the way. Many of these burgeoning towns, often filled with railroad workers, miners, and cowboys provided all manner of vices, including prostitution , numerous saloons , and the ever-present gambling halls. Supplying perfect opportunities for Devol’s operation, he followed the railroad expansion between Kansas City and Cheyenne in the early 1870s.
According to his account, Devol was working the Gold Room Saloon in Cheyenne when he encountered Wild Bill Hickok . Devol tells the story that when Hickok placed a $50 bet, he lost. He then placed another $50 bet, winning the hand that time; however, the dealer handed him back only $25. When Wild Bill protested, the dealer stated that the house limit was $25. “But you took 50 when I lost,” said Hickok, to which the dealer responded, “Fifty goes when you lose.” The quick-tempered Hickok wasn’t about to accept those terms “sitting down” and quickly whacked the dealer on the head with his walking stick, turned over the table, and stuffed his pockets with the till.
On another occasion, when Devol was working the railroad route, he beat a railroad director out of $1,200. This one-time winning game resulted in Devol’s profession being quickly curbed when the outraged official prohibited gambling on trains. Further, the Pinkerton agency was hired to be on the lookout for the most notorious professional gamblers, including Devol.
In 1892, Devol published his autobiography, Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi , telling of his life and probably exaggerating much of it. Shortly after he published his book, the great days of railroad and riverboat gambling were over. At his new wife’s insistence, he retired from gambling for good in 1896 and spent the last years of his life selling his book.
It is estimated that Devol won over two million dollars in his forty years of gambling. However, when he died in Hot Springs , Arkansas , in 1903, he was nearly penniless.
Reno, Nevada Gambling, 1910
© Kathy Weiser-Alexander / Legends of America , updated November 2021.
Old West Poker
Saloons of the Wild West
Scoundrels of the Old West
Riverboat gamble
Posted by ESC on January 15, 2007
In Reply to: Riverboat gamble posted by ESC on January 15, 2007
: : Does anyone know the origin of the phrase 'riverboat gamble'? It was mentioned on Channel 4 news last week and I can't seem to trace it back any further than a political discussion on Reaganomics.
: : Cheers, : : Gareth.
: "It's more than a risk, it's a riverboat gamble," said Leon E. Panetta, a Democratic member of the Iraq Study Group and former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton. : www.ndnblog.org
: "Tom Daschle has made a riverboat gamble, and he stands to lose his political shirt." www.nationalreview.com/ kudlow/kudlow010902.shtml Accessed January 15, 2007.
: I can't find it in my reference books. But I am guessing that it means the odds are stacked against you. And that in the past riverboat gambling was fixed so the house won most of the time.
Or maybe a gamble on a riverboat was risky because: "Rich and poor ships also carried the notorious 'Mississippi river gamblers' or 'river gamblers' (both terms common by the late 1840s), ranging from the professional poker players who fleeced plantation owners of their year's profits to sleight-of-hand artists and con men who preyed on the poorer innocents." From I Hear America Talking: An Illustrated History of American Words and Phrases by Stuart Berg Flexner (Von Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, 1976). Page 347.
- Rules/Help/FAQ Help/FAQ
- Members Current visitors
- Interface Language
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
- French-English Vocabulary / Vocabulaire Français-Anglais
riverboat gambler
- Thread starter Loupsy
- Start date Dec 17, 2016
Senior Member
- Dec 17, 2016
He had the look of a riverboat gambler... J'ai trouvé "joueur à la petite semaine" dans Linguee. Dans l'Urban dictionary, j'ai trouvé "alludes to one who takes undue risk, wagering on the outcomes of inconsequential events and activities either for money or out of compulsion" J'ai même trouvé un costume! de Riverboat gambler Riverboat Gambler Costume Mais je n'ai toujours aucune idée de comment le traduire.
A riverboat gambler was a professional gambler who worked on the (paddlewheel) riverboats on the Mississippi river. There was a "typical" look for these men; you can find it on Google if you do a search on "riverboat gambler" and then click on "images". In French??
- Dec 18, 2016
joueur de poker professionnel sur les bateaux à aubes du Mississipi
Words and phrases
Personal account.
- Access or purchase personal subscriptions
- Get our newsletter
- Save searches
- Set display preferences
Institutional access
Sign in with library card
Sign in with username / password
Recommend to your librarian
Institutional account management
Sign in as administrator on Oxford Academic
riverboat gambling noun
- Hide all quotations
What does the noun riverboat gambling mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun riverboat gambling . See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the noun riverboat gambling ?
1960 | 0.0053 |
1970 | 0.0071 |
1980 | 0.0082 |
1990 | 0.0082 |
2000 | 0.0098 |
2010 | 0.012 |
Where does the noun riverboat gambling come from?
Earliest known use
The earliest known use of the noun riverboat gambling is in the 1950s.
OED's earliest evidence for riverboat gambling is from 1953, in the Times (London).
riverboat gambling is formed within English, by compounding.
Etymons: riverboat n. , gambling n.
Nearby entries
- riverbed, n. 1781–
- river birch, n. 1846–
- river black-oak, n. 1886–98
- river-blanched, adj. 1788
- river blindness, n. 1952–
- river boar, n. 1601
- river board, n. 1823–
- riverboat, n. 1565–
- riverboat casino, n. 1958–
- riverboat gambler, n. 1920–
- riverboat gambling, n. 1953–
- river bottom, n. 1662–
- river-boy, n. 1791–
- River Brethren, n. 1849–
- river bull, n. 1639–1709
- river bullhead, n. 1763–
- river bus, n. 1929–
- river capture, n. 1890–
- river carp, n. 1653–
- river cat, n. 1770–
- river channel, n. 1629–
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Meaning & use
Entry history for riverboat gambling, n..
Originally published as part of the entry for riverboat, n.
riverboat gambling, n. was first published in 2009.
oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
- further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations.
Please submit your feedback for riverboat gambling, n.
Please include your email address if you are happy to be contacted about your feedback. OUP will not use this email address for any other purpose.
Citation details
Factsheet for riverboat gambling, n., browse entry.
Patti and Hope in Riverboat Gambolers
- Post author By R Wakeman
- Post date February 5, 2019
- No Comments on Patti and Hope in Riverboat Gambolers
Patti McGuire , Playmate of the Month November 1976, and Hope Olson , Playmate of the Month October 1976, with Bunny Cindy Russell in the pictorial, Riverboat Gambolers , August 1977
Share this:
- Tags Hope Olson , Patti McGuire , Playboy , Playmate , Riverboat Gambolers
Leave a comment Cancel reply
- Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
- Subscribe Subscribed
- Copy shortlink
- Report this content
- View post in Reader
- Manage subscriptions
- Collapse this bar
- CRUISE TIPS
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Celebrity Cruise Line
- Disney Cruise Line
- Holland America Line
- MSC Cruises
- Norwegian Cruise Line
- Princess Cruises
- Royal Caribbean
- Virgin Voyages
- Windstar Cruises
- Travel Deals
- CRUISE SHIP TRACKER
- Port Webcams
There are various areas of the world that just seem synonymous with gambling. When people hear the name Las Vegas they picture gambling of a flashy, mass entertainment proportion. Macau ’ s gambling culture brings a real Asian flavour to gambling, with many inevitably comparing it to Vegas. Monte Carlo delivers gambling connotations of wealth and prestige. Obviously, it is not just physical areas where gambling has a strong presence, with the web and mobile space being dominated by PartyCasino and other big names in the industry.
Another, yet somewhat less spectacular, sight that can only be associated with gambling is the steam propelled riverboat of certain states in the USA. How did these iconic vessels come to be known for hosting casinos, and what is the current status of riverboat casinos today?
On Water, But Not Land
There is a network of rivers that penetrate inland from the Gulf of Mexico up through the United States, most famously the Mississippi River . In the 19 th Century the rivers provided a fantastic way to transport goods from town to town up and down the bodies of water. This in turn became a popular method of passenger transport, with travellers using the boat to socialise. One of the most popular forms of entertainment was play at online Irish casino , and therefore this pastime became highly popular aboard the vessels.
There were also, and still are today, laws that prohibited gambling on land. However, the proprietor s of these boats took advantage of the loophole not extending these laws to establishments on water. Even today, riverboats are still to be found on the Mississippi and is still considered one of the best for cruises. Certain rivers acted as state lines, so it was sometimes argued that the gamblers could not be classified as being in one state or another while steaming down a river.
Railroads and War
As mentioned, the riverboats were first and foremost a means of transportation and enjoyed such success due to it being the quickest and most reliable means of travel and delivery of goods. However, when railroads started to spread across the country, they opened up new routes that got people around in a more direct manner. The trains also cut days off travel and therefore started to overtake the riverboats in popularity.
Around the same time the American Civil War broke out, a period where much of the fighting was done in the Southern States which defied the laws laid out by the North. This meant that riverboat entertainment almost came to a complete end.
The Riverboats of Today
Unlike the boats of old, which used to set off on long journeys to various destinations, the vessels of now mostly remain docked and very seldom actually take to the open waters. However, one will still be able to undergo the traditional experience that thousands enjoyed before casinos became what we are familiar with today.
- #RiverCruise
Related Articles
Australia travel guide: best times to visit for beaches, outback, and more, norwegian cruise line® unveils its next cutting-edge vessel – norwegian luna™, unveiling the ultimate mekong luxury cruises, get the cruise addicts newsletter free.
Stay in the loop with the latest cruise news, tips, and reviews directly to your inbox.
Latest Articles
Amawaterways 2025 latin touch cruise showcases the best of portugal for spanish-speaking travelers, norwegian cruise line announces first-ever show at sea celebrating global icon ‘prince’ to premiere aboard all-new norwegian aqua in 2025.
© Copyright 2024 - Cruise Addicts
- Affiliate Disclaimer
- Privacy Policy
|
] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] |
/ IPD No. | ] |
| | [David Kaszuba] | [David Kaszuba] | [David Kaszuba] |
[David Kaszuba] | [David Kaszuba] | [David Kaszuba] | [David Kaszuba] | [David Kaszuba] |
[Harold Balde] | [Harold Balde] | [Harold Balde] | [Harold Balde] | [Bob Graham] |
[Bob Graham] | [Bob Graham] | [Bob Graham] | [Bob Graham] | [Bob Graham] |
[Bob Graham] | [Bernard Marrou] | [Harold Balde] | [Jean-Pierre Renault] | [Jean-Pierre Renault] |
[Jean-Pierre Renault] | [Jean-Pierre Renault] | [Alexander Moebius] | [Alexander Moebius] | [Alexander Moebius] |
[Alexander Moebius] | [Marco Rossignoli] | [Jean-Pierre Renault] | [Jean-Pierre Renault] | [Jean-Pierre Renault] |
[James Loflin] | [James Loflin] | [James Loflin] | [James Loflin] |
[ ] [ ] [ ] | All copyrighted and trademarked Gottlieb® material licensed from Gottlieb Development LLC. Copyrighted and trademarked material from ® used with permission. All photographs licensed from original photographers, who retain their copyright. Do not use without permission! Site design, phrasing, and other local content copyright 2004-2024 by The Internet Pinball Database™. Where appropriate, other trademarks & copyrights remain property of their owners. | [ ] ipdb.org hosted at pair.com |
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The Symbolism Exposed. Within "Riverboat Gambler," Carly Simon artfully weaves layers of symbolism, enriching the song with deeper meaning. The riverboat symbolizes the journey of life, floating down the river of fate, stopping at various ports of opportunity and challenges. It encapsulates the uncertain nature of existence, reminding us ...
Riverboat Gambler Lyrics & Meanings: Riverboat gambler / Drinking alone on the prow / Chasing your Bourbon with Tennessee gin / The big game's about to begin / / Riverboat gambler / Hiding that Ave up your sleeve / I can see through all that debonaire style / The irony bending your smile / / And I won't tip your hand / I won't do you in / I want to stay near you / I want you to win ...
Riverboat gambler. Drinking alone on the prow. Chasing your Bourbon with Tennessee gin. The big game's about to begin. Riverboat gambler. Hiding that Ave up your sleeve. I can see through all that ...
The riverboat gambler becomes a symbol of resilience, risking everything for that elusive jackpot. The Twist of Fate. Just as the gambler's winnings mount, a gun-hand named Jack offers a warning. He reveals that luck alone cannot secure victory in the game of life. However, before the gambler can process these words, tragedy strikes.
- George Devol, Forty Years a Gambler on the Mississippi . George H. Devol was the greatest riverboat gambler in the history of the Mississippi River. He was also a con artist, a fighter, and a master at manipulating men and their money. Born on August 1, 1829, in Marietta, Ohio, George Devol was the youngest of six children.
The earliest known use of the noun riverboat gambler is in the 1920s. OED's earliest evidence for riverboat gambler is from 1920, in San Francisco Chronicle. riverboat gambler is formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: riverboat n., gambler n. See etymology. Nearby entries.
Robert Walkup Smith (May 13, 1928 - June 23, 2003), nicknamed "Riverboat", [1] was an American professional baseball player.He was a left-handed pitcher who appeared in 30 games in the Major Leagues over parts of 1958 and 1959 for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians.He was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg), and attended the University of Missouri.
Riverboat Gambler is a gambling-themed pinball machine produced by Williams. Pinball machine designer Mark Ritchie reportedly sings the song that plays during the game, whose gravel-voiced, New Orleans-style male voice sounds similar to Louis Armstrong. [1] Description.
But I am guessing that it means the odds are stacked against you. And that in the past riverboat gambling was fixed so the house won most of the time. Or maybe a gamble on a riverboat was risky because: "Rich and poor ships also carried the notorious 'Mississippi river gamblers' or 'river gamblers' (both terms common by the late 1840s), ranging ...
[Chorus] He was a riverboat gambler, bet his roll on Jacks and Queens He was on board that old riverboat on his way to New Orleans [Verse 1] That old stern wheel was turnin' as the boat backed ...
J'ai même trouvé un costume! de Riverboat gambler Riverboat Gambler Costume Mais je n'ai toujours aucune idée de comment le traduire. M. misterk Moderator. Boston, MA, USA. English-American Dec 17, 2016 #2 A riverboat gambler was a professional gambler who worked on the (paddlewheel) riverboats on the Mississippi river. There was a "typical ...
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun riverboat gambling. See 'Meaning & use' for definition, usage, and quotation evidence. How common is the noun riverboat gambling? Fewer than 0.01 occurrences per million words in modern written English.
Patti McGuire, Playmate of the Month November 1976, and Hope Olson, Playmate of the Month October 1976, with Bunny Cindy Russell in the pictorial, Riverboat Gambolers, August 1977
Riverboats are the only casinos in some states. By 2018, 63 riverboat casinos were operating across six states. More than a sideline, these gaming houses account for the entire commercial casino operation in the states of Illinois and Missouri. By the end of 2018, gambling revenue from boats totaled $382.5 million in state tax in Illinois and ...
The first one to become a fully recognised legal riverboat casino was in Iowa in 1989. This state, which lies above Missouri, sits on the network of rivers where riverboat gambling was popular in the 19th century. Other states which were also once smitten with riverboats, such as Louisiana and Illinois, jumped on the bandwagon and passed the ...
Production Run Records for Riverboat Gambler: Production Start Date: Aug-29-1990. Production End Date: Nov-6-1990. Production Run Quantity: 3200. First ship date: Aug-31-1990. Last ship date: the last 2 units shipped sometime after Feb-15-1991, records missing. Marketing Slogans: "Come on Board for Profits!"
Game details. PinsideID 381. Manufactured by Williams Electronic Games, Inc. Date November 1990. Type Solid state. Generation Williams System 11C. Release 3,200 produced. Estimated value $2310 - $2690. Cabinet Normal.
Gruzinka: Georgian restaurant, basic but good - See 111 traveler reviews, 106 candid photos, and great deals for Tyumen, Russia, at Tripadvisor.
alludes to one who takes undue risk, wagering on the outcomes of inconsequential events and activities either for money or out of compulsion
Tyumen is located in the southern part of Russia on the banks of the river Tura and is the capital of the Tyumen oblast (administrative division). Tyumen is situated in the Trans-Siberian Railway. Tyumen was the first settlement in Siberia. During the civil war Tyumen was the first city conquered by the white army.
The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "riverboat gambler", 9 letters crossword clue. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. Enter the length or pattern for better results. Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . Enter a Crossword Clue. A clue is required.
OpenStreetMap is a map of the world, created by people like you and free to use under an open license. Hosting is supported by Fastly, OSMF corporate members, and other partners.
Street directory and street map of Большой Тараскуль. Directory of services in Большой Тараскуль: shops, restaurants, leisure and sports facilities, hospitals, gas stations and other places of interest. Neighboring areas of Большой Тараскуль