i was born in the wagon of a travellin show my mama used to dance for the money they d throw papa would do whatever he could preach a little gospel sell a couple bottles of doctor good chorus gypsys tramps and thieves we d hear it from the people of the town they d call us gypsys tramps and thieves but every night all the men would come around and lay their money down picked up a boy just south of mobile gave him a ride filled him with a hot meal i was sixteen he was twenty one rode with us to memphis and papa woulda shot him if he knew what he d done chorus i never had schoolin but he taught me well with his smooth southern style three months later i m a gal in trouble and i haven t seen him for a while uh huh i haven t seen him for a while uh huh she was born in the wagon of a travellin show her mama had to dance for the money they d throw grandpa d do whatever he could preach a little gospel sell a couple bottles of doctor good chorus chorus fades