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

Till boredom overtook us

And he began to speak

He said son I've made a 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 saying

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

And 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

You got to know when to hold them

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 dealing's done

Every gambler knows that the secret to surviving

Is knowing what to throw away and knowing 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 but in his final words

I found an ace that I could keep

You got to know when to hold

Know when to follow

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 dealing's done

You got to know when to hold them

When to hold them

Know when to fold them

When to fold them

Know when to walk away

Know when to run

You never count your money

When you're sitting at the table

There'll be time enough for counting

When the dealing's done

You got to know when to hold

Know when to fall

Know when to walk away

Nowhere to run

You never count your money

When you're sitting at the table

There'll be time enough for counting

When the deal is done