I've been down to Mississippi
Down through New Orleans, yes, I have
I've played in California
There's not much that I haven't seen, no, there's not

I'm a ramblin' man
Don't fool around with a ramblin' man

I left a girl in West Virginia
Up where the green grass grows, yes, I did
I got a girl in Cincinnati a waitin'
Where the Ohio river flows, poor girl

I'm a ramblin' man
Don't give your heart to a ramblin' man

You'd better move away
You're standing too close to the flame
Once I mess with your mind
Your little heart won't be the same

I'm a ramblin' man
Don't mess around with any old ramblin' man

Well, up in Chicago
I was known as quite a boy, yes, I was
Yeah, down in Alabama
They call me the man of joy, ha ha, bad boy

Well, I'm a ramblin' man
Don't fall in love with a ramblin' man

You'd better move away
You're standing too close to the flame
Once I mess with your mind
Your little heart won't be the same

Yes, I'm a ramblin' man
Don't mess around with any old ramblin' man