The Gambler

On a warm summer's evening, on a train bound for nowhere

I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to sleep

So we took turns a-staring out the window at the darkness

The boredom overtook us and he began to speak

He said, "Son, I've made my life out of reading people's faces

And knowing what the cards were by the way they held their eyes

And 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 then he bummed a light

And the night got deathly quiet

His face lost all expression

He said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right"

'Cause every gambler knows that the secret to survivin'

Is knowing what to throw away, knowing what to keep

'Cause every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser

And the best you can hope for, is just 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 never count your money when you're sittin' at the table

There will be time enough for countin', when the dealin' is done

And when he'd finished speakin', well, he turned back towards the window

Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep

Then 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 never count your money when you're sittin' at the table

There will be time enough for countin', when the dealin' is done

There will be time enough for countin', when the dealin' is done