About 20 years ago, on a train bound for nowhereI met up with The GamblerWe were both too tired to sleepSo we took turns a starin' through the window at the darknessTil' boredom overtook us and he commenced to speak
He said: Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's facesAnd knowin' what their cards were, by the way they held their eyesAnd 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 swallowThen he bummed a cigarette; then he bummed a lightThe night got deathly quiet and his face lost all expressionHe said: If you're gonna play the game, boy, you better learn to play it right
'Cos ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survivalIs knowin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keepAnd ev'ry hand's a winner, just like ev'ry hand's a loserAnd 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 'emKnow when to walk away; know when to runYou don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done
You got to know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'emKnow when to walk away; know when to runYou don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done
And when he finished speakin', he turned back t'ward the windowPut out his cigarette; faded off to sleepAnd somewhere in the darkness, the gambler he broke evenBut in his final words I found an ace that I could keep
You got to know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'emKnow when to walk away; know when to runYou don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done
You got to know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'emKnow when to walk away; know when to runYou don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done
You got to know when to hold 'em; know when to fold 'emKnow when to walk away; know when to runYou don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the tableThere'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done