The Gambler

The Gambler - 70s Music All Stars

Written by：Don Schlitz

On a warm summer's evenin'

On a train bound for nowhere

I met up with a gambler

We were both too tired to sleep

So we took turns a starin'

Out the window at the darkness

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

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 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

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 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

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 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 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