[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 77 - Capo 3 - G6 = 320000 - Rhythm straight 8th notes for most of song] |Am | % | % | % | (Phrase - xxx21x xx2xxx)
[Verse 1 - Upstrum to simulate snare roll to start and heavy muted downstrum - and keep going during verse] [Am] Take a look at my [G6] girlfriend [Fmaj7] She's the only one I got [Am] Not much of a [G6] girlfriend I [Fmaj7] never seem to get a lot
[E7] Take a jumbo across the water [Am] Like to see America [E7] See the girls in California I'm [Dm] hoping it's going to come [G] true But there's [Dm] not a lot I can [G] do
[Verse 2] [Am] Could we have kippers for [G6] breakfast [Fmaj7] Mummy dear, Mummy dear (run E 1 3) [Am] They got to have 'em in [G6] Texas 'Cause [Fmaj7] everyone's a millionaire (hold F and play run E 1 0 then A 5 3)
[E7] I'm a winner, I'm a sinner Do you [Am] want my autograph [E7] I'm a loser, what a joker I'm [Dm] playing my jokes upon [G] you While there's [Dm] nothing better to [G] do, hey
[Hook] [E7] Ba ba da dum, ba ba, da-d' [Am] do da do da do [E7] Ba ba da dum, ba ba, da-d' do [Am] da do da do La la [F] la, la la [Dm] la, la la la [G] laaaaaaaa
[Verse 3] [Am] Don't you look at my [G6] girlfriend, girlfriend 'Cause [Fmaj7] she's the only one I got [Am] Not much of a [G6] girlfriend, girlfriend I [Fmaj7] never seem to get a lot - What's she got? Not a lot
[E7] Take a jumbo across the water [Am] Like to see America [E7] See the girls in California I'm [Dm] hoping it's going to come [G] true But there's [Dm] not a lot I can [G] do, hey
[Hook] [E7] Ba ba da dum, ba ba, da-d' [Am] do da do da do [E7] Ba ba da dum, ba ba, da-d' [Am] do da do da do Hey [E7] u-um, hey u-um, hey [Am] u-um, hey u-um Hey [E7] u-um, hey u-um, hey u- [Am] um, hey u-um La la [F] la, la la [Dm] la, la la la [G] la ............... [End]