Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold

Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold (Townes Van Zandt)

The wicked king of clubs awoke
It was to his queen he turned
His lips were laughing as they spoke
His eyes like bullets burned
The sun's upon a gambling day
His queen smiled low and blissfully
Let's make some wretched fool pay
It was play she did agree.

He sent his deuce down into diamond
Four to heart and trey to spade
Three kings with their legions come
And preparations soon were made
They voted club the day's commander
Gave him an army face and number
All but the outlaw jack of diamonds
And the aces in the sky.

So he gave his seven first instructions
Spirit me a game of stud
Stakes unscarred by limitations
'tween a man named Gold and a man named Mudd
Club filled bold with greedy vapors
Till his long green eyes did glow
Mudd was left with the sighs and trembles
Watching his hard earned money go.

Flushes fell on Gold like water
Tens they paired and paired again
But the aces only flew through heaven
The diamond jack called no man friend
The diamond queen saw Mudd's ordeal
Began to think of her long lost son
Fell to her knees with a mother's mercy
And prayed to the angels every one.

Now the diamond queen she prayed and prayed
The diamond angel filled Mudd's hole
The wicked king of clubs himself
Fell face down in front of Gold.
Three kings come to club's command
The angels from the sky did ride
Three kings up on the streets of Gold
Three fireballs on the muddy side.

The club queen heard her husbands call
But that queen of the diamond's joy
When the outlaw in the heavenly hall
Turned out to be her wandering boy
Mudd he checked and Gold bet all
Mudd he raised and Gold did call
The smile just melted off his face
When Mudd turned over that diamond ace.

Here is what this story's told
You feel like Mudd you'll end up Gold
You feel like lost you'll end up found
So amigo lay thoses raises down.