Well, I went down to St. James Infirmary
And saw my baby there
She was laid out on that long white table
So sweet, so cold, so fair

Well I went up to see the doctor
"She's feeling very low," He said
Well, I went back to see my baby
And good God, she was lying there dead

So let her go, let her go
God bless her soul
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide world over
And never find a motherfucker like me

Well, I went down to old Joe's Ballroom
On the corner down by the square
They were serving drinks as usual
And all the usual folk were there

Well, to my left stood old Joe Mckennedy
His eyes a bloodshot red
And he turned to the crowd in front of him
And these were the very words that he said
He said, "Let her go, let her go
God bless her soul
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide world over
And never find a motherfucker like me"

So when I die won't you bury me
In my high top stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
So the Devil knows I died standing pat

Six gamblers to carry my coffin
With chorus girls to sing me a song
Put a jazz band on the hearse wagon
To raise Hell as we roll along

So bring out the rubber-tied carriage
Go ahead and bring out the pony and drive
Twelve men going down to that graveyard
Only eleven of them ever coming back

So let her go, let her go
God bless her soul
Wherever she may be
She may search this whole wide world over
And never find a motherfucker like me
So now they've heard my story
Well, let's buy another round of booze
And if anyone ever should ask you
I got the St. James Infirmary blues