And we'll keep rolling on till we get to Vancouver
And the woman that I love is living there
It's been six long months and more since I've seen her
Made the gamble and gone like summer wages.

In all of the beer bars down along Main Street
The dreams of the seasons are all spilled out on the floor
All the big stands of timber just waitin' for the fall
And the hookers wait and watch as they sit there by the door.

So, I'll work on the towboats with my slippery city shoes on
Which I swore I would never do again
Through the gray fog-bound straits where the cedars stand a waitin'
I'll be far off and gone like summer wages.

Never hit seventeen when you play against the dealer
For you know the odds won't ride with you
Never leave your woman alone when your friends are out to steal her
Years I've gambled and lost like summer wages.
Years I've gambled and lost like summer wages...