C                     Am       F            G
I can't recall my Mother, I don't remember Dad
C                  Am       F          G
Mister and Mississippi was all I ever had
Am                   C           G           F
Oh, I was born to wander, oh, I was born to roam
C                      Am       G           C
And Mister and Mississippi made me feel at home.

CHORUS
Am                   C           G           F
Oh, I was born to wander, oh, I was born to roam
C                     Am        G           C
And Mister and Mississippi made me feel at home.

C                   Am        F             G
My cradle was the river, my school a river boat
C                   Am           F           G
My teacher was a gambler, the slickest one afloat
Am                   C           G            F
His teacher was a gambler, the slickest one afloat
C                      Am     G       C
He taught me not to gamble on a petticoat.

CHORUS
C                     Am           F         G
Oh! Betty Mae, I love you, I love you Betty Mae
C                     Am         F              G
I love you like a barefoot boy, loves a summer day
Am                     C                G      F
The way a wand'ring gypsy, loves the changing scenes
C                        Am          G           C
Just like the restless river, loves old New Orleans.

CHORUS
C                   Am             F       G
I'd love a tiny village, a quite country town
C                    Am           F              G
A house, a little garden, with kiddies runnin' 'round
Am                   C          G               F
I'd be a faithful husband, I'd be a trusting friend
C                        Am             G        C
Until I heard that steamboat, comin' 'round the bend.