The Card Player - Nick Powell, Candida Caldicot & National Theatre

There's a solitary man crying, hold me It's only because he's lonely And if the keeper of time runs slowly He won't be alive for long If he only had time to tell of all of the things he planned With a card up his sleeve, what would he achieve? It means nothing To the opium dens and the barroom gin In the Belmont chair, playing violin The gambler's face cracks into a grin As he lays down the king of spades But the dealer just stares There's something wrong here, he thinks The gambler is seized and forced to his knees And shot dead He only wanted more time Away from the darkest door But his luck it gave in as the dawn light crept in And he lay on the floor From the Hundred Year War to the Crimea With a lance and a musket and a Roman spear To all of the men who have stood with no fear In the service of the King Before you met your fate Be sure you did not forsake Your lover may not be around anymore There's a solitary man crying, hold me It's only because he's lonely And if the keeper of time runs slowly He won't be alive for long

You'll never win just telling lies You'll never win staying the same Do you ever wonder if you are working headlong? In your brain your thoughts will fight Sometimes you'll maybe need to cry You know, to start again, you need to fall! I've never lost a single day Living my dream without chains I reached the peak in this lonely life I'll go ahead without their hands I'll get to my promised land You know, I'm a man, no tears, no regrets Are you ready my friend Now you can make all your dreams come true Are you ready my friend You have to take on your new challenge! Are you ready in the saddle Riding the storm? Get control, win the gamble You'll have the world! Are you ready in the saddle Riding the storm? Get control, win the gamble You'll have the world! Make your moves, free from rules Now it's your turn! You have never felt better You'll reach for the stars!