E
A
E
On a warm summer’s evenin’ on a train bound for nowhere,
B
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep
E
A
E
So we took turns a starin’ out the window at the darkness
A
E
B
E
’til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.
E
A
E
He said, “Son, I’ve made a life out of readin’ people’s faces,
B
and knowin’ what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
E
A
E
And if you don’t mind my sayin’, I can see you’re out of aces.
A
E
B
E
For a taste of your whiskey I’ll give you some advice.”
E
A
E
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow.
B
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light.
E
A
E
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression.
A
E
B
E
Said, “If you’re gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.
E
A
E
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
A
E
B
know when to walk away and know when to run.
E
A
E
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
B
E
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.
F
Bb
F
Ev’ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
C
is knowin’ what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
F
Bb
F
‘Cause ev’ry hand’s a winner and ev’ry hand’s a loser,
Bb
F
C
F
and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.”
F
Bb
F
And when he’d finished speakin’, he turned back towards the window,
C
crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
F
Bb
F
And somewhere in the darkness the gambler, he broke even.
Bb
F
C
F
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.
F
Bb
F
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Bb
F
C
know when to walk away and know when to run.
F
Bb
F
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
C
F
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.
F
Bb
F
You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em,
Bb
F
C
know when to walk away and know when to run.
F
Bb
F
You never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table.
C
F
There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.
B
E
F
C
Bb
A
