The Gambler

About twenty years ago On a train bound for nowhere I met up with The Gambler We were both too tired to sleep So we took turns a starin' Through the window at the darkness 'Til boredom overtook us And he commenced to speak He said, 'Son, I've made a life Out of readin' people's faces And knowin' what their cards were By the way they held their eyes And if you don't mind my sayin' I would say you're out of aces And for one taste of your whiskey I will give you some advice' So I handed him my bottle And he drank down my last swallow Then he bummed a cigarette Then he bummed a light The night got deathly quiet And his face lost all expression He said, 'If you're gonna play the game, boy You better learn to play it right' 'Cause ev'ry gambler knows That the secret to survival Is knowin' what to throw away And knowin' what to keep And ev'ry hand's a winner Just like ev'ry hand's a loser And the best that you can hope for Is to die in your sleep. You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away Know when to run You don't ever count your money While you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin' is done You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away Know when to run You don't ever count your money While you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin' is done And when he finished speakin' He turned back t'ward the window Put out his cigarette Faded off to sleep And somewhere in the darkness The gambler he broke even But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away Know when to run You don't ever count your money While you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin' is done You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away Know when to run You don't ever count your money While you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin' is done You got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away Know when to run You don't ever count your money While you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin' is done

I am a roving gambler, I've gambled down in town Wherever I meet with a deck of cards I lay my money down. Lay my money down, lay my money down I had not been in Washington, many more weeks than three 'Til I fell in love with a pretty little girl, she fell in love with me. Fell in love with me, fell in love with me She took me in her parlour, she cooled me with her fan She whispered low in her momma's ear, "I love that gambling man. Love that gamblin' man, love that gamblin' man" "Daughter, oh dear daughter, how can you treat me so? To leave your dear old mother, and with a gambler go? With a gambler go, with a gambler go?" I've gambled down in Washington; I've gambled down in Spain I'm goin' down in Georgia to gamble my last game Gamble my last game, gamble my last game "Mother, oh dear mother, you know I love you well But the love I have for the gambling man, no human tongue can tell. No human tongue can tell, no human tongue can tell I hear that train a-coming, coming 'round the curve A-whistling and a-blowing straining every nerve Strainin' every nerve, strainin' every nerve "Mother, oh dear mother, I'll tell you if I can If you ever see me comin' back, I'll be with the gambling man Be with the gambling man. Be with the gambling man" I am a roving gambler, I've gambled down in town Wherever I meet with a deck of cards I lay my money down Lay my money down, lay my money down

On a warm summer's evenin', On a train bound for nowhere I met up with the gambler. We were both too tired to sleep. So we took turns a-starin' Out the window at the darkness. When boredom overtook us, He began to speak. He said, Son, I've made my life Out of readin' people's faces. Knowin' what the cards were By the way they held their eyes. So if you don't mind my sayin', I can see you're out of aces, For a taste of your whiskey, I'll give you some advice. So I handed him my bottle, And he drank down my last swallow. Then he bummed a cigarette And asked me for a light. And the night got deathly quiet, And his face lost all expression. He said, If You're gonna play the game, boy, You gotta learn to play it right. You've got to know When to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away, Know when to run. You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done. Now every gambler knows The secret to survivin' Is knowin' what to throw away And knowin' what to keep. 'Cause every hand's a winner And every hand's a loser And the best you can hope for Is to die in your sleep. And when he finished speakin', He turned back toward the window, Crushed out his cigarette And faded off to sleep. And somewhere in the darkness, The gambler he broke even. And in his final words I found An ace that I could keep. You've got to know When to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away, Know when to run. You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done. You've got to know When to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away, Know when to run. You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done. You've got to know When to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away, Know when to run. You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table. There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done...

On a warm summer's eve On a train bound for nowhere I met up with the gambler We were both too tired to sleep So we took turns at starin' Out the window at the darkness The boredom overtook us And he began to speak He said, "Son, I've made a life Out of readin' people's faces Knowin' what the cards were By the way they held their eyes (they held their eyes)" "So if you don't mind me sayin' I can see you're out of aces For a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice" So I handed him my bottle And he drank down my last swallow Then he bummed a cigarette And asked me for a light And the night got deathly quiet And his face lost all expression Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy You gotta learn to play it right" You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealing's done Every gambler knows That the secret to survivin' Is knowin' what to throw away And knowin' what to keep ('Cause every) 'cause every hand's a winner And every hand's a loser And the best that you can hope for is To die in your sleep And when he finished speakin' He turned back toward the window Crushed out his cigarette And faded off to sleep And somewhere in the darkness The gambler he broke even And in his final words I found an ace that I could keep You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealing's done You've got to know when to hold 'em (when to hold 'em) Know when to fold 'em (when to fold 'em) Know when to walk away (And know) and know when to run You never count your money (When you're) when you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' (When the dealin') when the dealing's done You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealing's done