Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around,
delia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out west,
when she returned, little delia gone to rest.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Delia's daddy weeped, delia's momma moaned,
wouldn't have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Curtis' looking high, curtis' looking low,
he shot poor delia down with a cruel forty-four.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
High up on the housetops, high as i can see,
looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Men in atlanta, tryin' to pass for white,
delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Judge says to curtis, "what's this noise about?"
"all about them rounders, judge, tryin' to cut me out."
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Curtis said to the judge, "what might be my fine?"
judge says, "poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Curtis' in the jail house, drinking from an old tin cup,
delia's in the graveyard, she ain't gettin' up.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Delia, oh delia, how can it be?
you loved all them rounders, never did love me.
all the friends i ever had are gone.
Delia, oh delia, how can it be?
you wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
all the friends i ever had are gone.