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
 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
 Said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right"
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 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
 Now, every gambler knows, 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 to die in your sleep
 So when he'd finished speakin', he turned back toward 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'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