[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 123 - No drums] Em Em D6/9 (200200) D6/9 x2
[Verse 1] On the [Em] first part of the [D6/9] journey I was [Em] looking at all the [D6/9] life There were [Em] plants and birds and [D6/9] rocks and things There were [Em] sand and hills and [D6/9] rings The [Em] first thing I met was a [D6/9] fly with a buzz And the [Em] sky with no [D6/9] clouds The [Em] heat was hot and the [D6/9] ground was dry But the [Em] air was full of [D6/9] sound
[Chorus - Slap on snare drums] I've [Em9] been through the desert on a [Dmaj9] horse with no name It felt [Em9] good to be out of the [Dmaj9] rain In the [Em9] desert you can re [Dmaj9] member your name 'Cause there a [Em9] in't no one for to [Dmaj9] give you no pain [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la
[Verse 2 - Slap on snare drums] After [Em] two days in the [D6/9] desert sun My [Em] skin began to turn [D6/9] red After [Em] three days in the [D6/9] desert fun I was [Em] looking at a river [D6/9] bed And the [Em] story it told of a [D6/9] river that flowed Made me [Em] sad to think it was [D6/9] dead
[Chorus - Full drums] I've [Em9] been through the desert on a [Dmaj9] horse with no name It felt [Em9] good to be out of the [Dmaj9] rain In the [Em9] desert you can re [Dmaj9] member your name 'Cause there a [Em9] in't no one for to [Dmaj9] give you no pain La, [Em9] la, la lala [Dmaj9] la la la, la, la La, l [Em9] a, la lala l [Dmaj9] a la la, la, la
[Verse 3 - Drums stop] After [Em] nine days I let the [D6/9] horse run free 'Cause the [Em] desert had turned to [D6/9] sea There were [Em] plants and birds and [D6/9] rocks and things There were [Em] sand and hills and [D6/9] rings (bass drum in) The [Em] ocean is a desert with its [D6/9] life underground And a [Em] perfect disguise [D6/9] above Under the [Em] cities lies a [D6/9] heart made of ground But the [Em] humans will give no [D6/9] love
[Chorus - Full drums] I've [Em9] been through the desert on a [Dmaj9] horse with no name It felt [Em9] good to be out of the [Dmaj9] rain In the [Em9] desert you can re [Dmaj9] member your name 'Cause there a [Em9] in't no one for to [Dmaj9] give you no pain [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la [Em9] La, la, la l [Dmaj9] ala la la la, la, la
