[Verse - No drums] G C G On a warm summer's evening on a train bound for nowhere G G D I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to speak G C G So we took turns a-starin' out the window at the darkness C G D7 G 'Til boredom overtook us and he began to speak. G C G He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces, G D Knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes, G C G And if you don't mind me sayin', I can see you're out of aces, C G D G And for a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."
(bass drum on 2 and 4 to begin with - no snare) G C G So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow; G G D Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light, G C G And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression, C G D G ' said "If you're gon na play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.
[Chorus - Half time shuffle] G C G You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, C G D Know when to walk away And know when to run. G D G C G You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table; C G D G There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.
[Verse] A D A Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin' A E Is knownin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep A E A D A 'Cause every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser, D A E A And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep."
[Verse] A D A And when he finished speakin', he turned back toward the window, A E Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep, (drums stop) A E A D A And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler, he broke even, D A E A But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.
[Chorus - Drums back in] A D A You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, D A A E Know when to walk away And know when to run. A E A D A You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table; A D A E A There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.
[Chorus] A D A You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, D A A E Know when to walk away And know when to run. A E A D A You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table; A D A E A There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.
[Chorus - A Cappella] A D A You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, D A E Know when to walk away And know when to run. A E A D A You never count your money When you're sittin' at the table; A D A E A There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.
[Intro BPM 130 - No drums] [G][Bm7][Am7][C/D] - [G][Bm7][Am7] x
[Verse 1n - Drums in ] [G] I know it sounds [Bm7] funny, but I just can't [Am7] stand the pain, [C/D] [G] Girl, I'm [Bm7] leaving you to - [Am7] morrow, [C/D] [G] Seems to [Bm7] me, girl, you know I've done [Am7] all I can, [C/D] [G] You see, I [Bm7] begged, stole and I [Am7] borrowed, ...yeah! [C/D]
[Verse 2] [G] Why in the [Bm7] world would anybody put [Am7] chains on me? [C/D] Yeah! [G] I've [Bm7] paid my dues to make [Am7] it, [D7sus4] [G] Everybody [Bm7] wants me to be what they [Am7] want me to be, [C/D] [G] I'm not [Bm7] happy when I try to [Am7] fake it, ...no! [C/D]
[Bridge - Em7s are quick passing chords] [G] I wanna be [Fmaj7]high------, [Em7]so [Dm7]high, [F/G] I wanna[Em7] be [Fmaj7]free to know the things I do [Em7]are [Dm7]right, [F/G] ee ee ete I wanna[Em7] be [Fmaj7]free, ... [Em7]just [Dm7]me, [F/G] woh, babe!
[Bb/F-11333x] x x [F/C] x x x x [Bb/D-x5333x] x x [C] Oooo!
