The Gambler --- Double Bill

"The Gambler" is the title track to Kenny Rogers' 1978 album The Gambler. The song was written by Don Schlitz (who had recorded it previously, and had charted at #65 on the country charts with it) and was one of five consecutive songs by Rogers to hit #1 on the Billboard country music charts at the time. On the pop chart, the song made #16 in early 1979. It is also the theme song used for Rogers' long running movie and TV serial of the same name, in which he stars as a fictional professional poker player called Brady Hawkes. It was used in Episode 2 of BBC series Blackpool.

The song itself tells the story of a late-night meeting on a train "bound for nowhere" between Rogers (as narrator) and an unnamed old man who is the gambler. The gambler tells Rogers that he can tell Rogers is down on his luck ("out of aces") by the look in his eyes and offers him advice in exchange for the last swallow of whisky Rogers has. After the gambler takes the drink (and a cigarette), he gives the following advice:

You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.

Know when to walk away, and 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.

The gambler then mentions that the "secret to survivin' is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to keep" and that "the best you can hope for is to die in your sleep". At this point, the gambler puts out the cigarette and goes to sleep.

At the end of the song we are told that "somewhere in the darkness the gambler he broke even", and that the narrator finds "an ace that I could keep" in his final words. Some have interpreted this as the Gambler actually dying, confirmed by Rogers' rendition on the Muppet Show (see below).

The song is often characterized as a metaphor for life in that you need to know when to stand your ground (when to hold 'em) and when to retreat (when to fold 'em).s.


On a warm summers evenin on a train bound for nowhere,
I met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep.
So we took turns a starin out the window at the darkness
til boredom overtook us, and he began to speak.

He said, son, Ive made a life out of readin peoples faces,
And knowin what their cards were by the way they held their eyes.
So if you dont mind my sayin, I can see youre out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey Ill 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 youre gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em,
Know when to walk away and know when to run.
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table.
Therell be time enough for countin when the dealins done.

Now every gambler knows that the secret to survivin
Is knowin what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
cause evry hands a winner and evry hands a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.

So when hed finished speakin, he turned back towards the window,
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep.
And 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 and know when to run.
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table.
Therell be time enough for countin when the dealins done.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• The
• Gambler
• Kenny
• Rogers
• cover
• 4846steven
• country
• 1979
• 1978
• Perfect
• Strangers
• Muppet
• Show
• yt:quality=high

[Nagromman]

Great cover 5/5

[wolfpacker61]

Good job, nice choice of banjo for this one.

[Tadek59]

Wow fantastic performance and great voice and the excellent version of this song !

Bravo my Freind !

5*****

[iaco4ever]

Very beautiful Hei Steven this new suit in your hands: The Banjo is stupendous as this song cauntry from that you interpret true Cawboy! :-) Excellent Stiven!!!!!5555555 * a hi from Pino

[LilyGipsy]

lovely..

[AcrossFromMarty]

Hell yeah. This is great!

[alexandraxxxxxx]

Honours for this video (2)

#60 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Music

#59 - Top Rated (This Week) - Music

[alexandraxxxxxx]

had to listen to this again...missed your channel when i was away ....love the banjo part the most........hope you decide to post more like this one....

you look way cool guys ....hugs xxx

[g6120s]

Fantastic rendition of this country classic!! I like the guitjo sound on this one. Perfect choice!! 5*****

[josexara]

cool 5*****