[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 87 - No drums high riff] [Em7] E -7------7-7------7---7-- B -7h8----8-8------8---7-- G -7------7-7------7---7-- D -7h9----9-9------9---7-- A -7------7-7------7---7-- E -7------7-7------7---7-- Dr B S B S
[Verse] [Em7] Down around the corner, half a mile from here See them long trains run, and you watch them disappear
[Chorus] Without love [Am7] where would you be now [Em7] Without lo [C] --o--- [Bsus4] -o [B] -ove [Em7]
[Verse] You [Em7] know I saw miss Lucy down along the tracks She lost her home and her family and she won't be coming back
[Chorus] Without love [Am7] where would you be now [Em7] Without lo [C] --o--- [Bsus4] -o [B] -ove [Em7]
[Verse] Well the Ill [Em7] inois Central And the [Em7] Southern Central Freight Got to [Em7] keep on pushin' mama You [Em7] know they're running late
[Chorus] Without love [Am7] where would you be now [Em7] Without lo [C] --o--- [Bsus4] -o [B] -ove [Em7]
[Verse - Rhythm changes to (BB) S B S for Gm7 section] [Em7] E ------------------ B ------------------ G ------------------ D -7--9--------------- A -5--7--------------- E -0----------------- Dr B B S B S
Well the Ill [Em7] inois Central And the [Em7] Southern Central Freight Got to [Em7] keep on pushin' mama You [Em7] know they're running late
[Chorus] Without love [Am7] where would you be now [Em7] Without lo [C] --o--- [Bsus4] -o [B] -ove [Em7]
[Verse - Rhythm - drop snare just bass drum] Well the [Em7] pistons keep on turning And the whe [Em7] els go round and round The [Em7] steel rails are cold and hard For the [Em7] miles that they go down
[Chorus] Without love [Am7] where would you be now [Em7] Without lo [C] --o--- [Bsus4] -o [B] -ove [Am7] ooh (drums stop)
[Intro riff] back in - ad lib til end - bring drums back in at some point [Em7][Em7][Em7][Dm7] B S B S
