I got off the riverboat in New Orleans in the spring of 82,
I went inside a gambling house as gamblers often do.
I had myself a drink, and I joined a poker game,
that dealer was a woman, so I asked her for her name.
She smiled at me so pretty, but a hush fell over the place,
as a big man accross the table, stood up and slapped my face.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
well you can bet, my bowie knife will.
I had my choice of weapons on which would depend my life,
I chose a set of pistols, and a long old bowie knife.
well I met him by the river by the light of the rising sun.
as I prepared to meet him? I feared my time had come.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
well you can bet, my bowie knife will.
As we stood back to back there on the duelin' green,
I cursed the fate that had brought me to the town of New Orleans.
The referee started counting the paces one by one,
when I heard him say twenty, I turned and fired my gun.
well I knew at once I'd missed and I waited there in fear, as
the stranger aimed and fired, but the bullet went by my ear.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
well you can bet, my bowie knife will.
He threw away his pistol and drew his bowie knife,
I knew that razor edge would soon snuff out my life.
But somehow luck was with me and my weapon found his side,
he lay there on the duelin' ground, then he cursed me as he died.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
you can bet, my bowie knife will.
you can bet my bowie knife will,
you can bet my bowie knife will.
I went inside a gambling house as gamblers often do.
I had myself a drink, and I joined a poker game,
that dealer was a woman, so I asked her for her name.
She smiled at me so pretty, but a hush fell over the place,
as a big man accross the table, stood up and slapped my face.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
well you can bet, my bowie knife will.
I had my choice of weapons on which would depend my life,
I chose a set of pistols, and a long old bowie knife.
well I met him by the river by the light of the rising sun.
as I prepared to meet him? I feared my time had come.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
well you can bet, my bowie knife will.
As we stood back to back there on the duelin' green,
I cursed the fate that had brought me to the town of New Orleans.
The referee started counting the paces one by one,
when I heard him say twenty, I turned and fired my gun.
well I knew at once I'd missed and I waited there in fear, as
the stranger aimed and fired, but the bullet went by my ear.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
well you can bet, my bowie knife will.
He threw away his pistol and drew his bowie knife,
I knew that razor edge would soon snuff out my life.
But somehow luck was with me and my weapon found his side,
he lay there on the duelin' ground, then he cursed me as he died.
Bowie knife, bowie knife, long, glitterin' steel,
well if my gun don't take your evil life,
you can bet, my bowie knife will.
you can bet my bowie knife will,
you can bet my bowie knife will.