I was born in the wagon of a traveling show   My Momma used to dance for the money they'd throw   Poppa would do whatever he could   Preach a little gospel   Sell a couple bottles of doctor good      Gypsies, tramps and thieves   We'd hear it from the people of the town   They'd call us gypsies, 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 Poppa woulda shot him if he knew what he'd done      Gypsies, tramps and thieves   We'd hear it from the people of the town   They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves   But every night all the men would come around   And lay their money down      I never had schooling 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, oh   I haven't seen him for a while, oh      She was born in the wagon of a traveling show   Her Momma 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      Gypsies, tramps and thieves   We'd hear it from the people of the town   They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves   But every night all the men would come around   And lay their money down      Gypsies, tramps and thieves   We'd hear it from the people of the town   They'd call us gypsies, tramps and thieves   But every night all the men would come around   And lay their money down   Gypsies, tramps and thieves