[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.
[Verse 1] [A] You could never know what it's [D/A] like. Your blo [E/A] od like winter freezes [A] just like ice. And there's a [Bm7/A-557777] cold lonely light that [D/A-557775] shines from you. [E] You'll [F#m] wind up like the wreck you [D] hide behind that [A] mask [Bm/A-5xx777] you [A] use. [A] And did you think this fool could [D/A] never win? Well [E/A] look at me, I'm coming [A] back again. I got a [Bm7/A] taste of love in a [D/A] simple [E] way. And if you [F#m] need to know while I'm still [D] standing you just [A] fade [Bm7/A] a [A] way.
[Chorus] Don't you know [Am7] I'm still [Am] standing better than I [Em/G] ever did. Looking like a [Dm7] true survivor, feeling like a [Fmaj7] little kid. [G] [Am7] I'm still [Am] standing after [Em/G] all this time. Picking up the [Dm7] pieces of my life without you [E7] on my mind. I'm still [Am] standing. [Dm7] Yeah [Dm7] Yeah ye [E7] Yeah! I'm still [Am] standing. [Dm7] Yeah [Dm7] Yeah ye [E7] Yeah! [F/E-0-x-10-10-10-x][G/E-0-x-12-12-12-x]
[Verse 2] [A] Once I never could hope to [D/A] win. You [E/A] starting down the road leaving [A] me again. The [Bm7/A] threats you made were meant to [D/A] cut me [E] down. And if our [F#m] love was just a [D] circus you'd be a [A] clown [Bm7/A] by now [A]
[Chorus] Don't you know [Am7] I'm still [Am] standing better than I [Em/G] ever did. Looking like a [Dm7] true survivor, feeling like a [Fmaj7] little kid. [G] [Am7] I'm still [Am] standing after [Em/G] all this time. Picking up the [Dm7] pieces of my life without you [E7] on my mind. I'm still [Am] standing. [Dm7] Yeah [Dm7] Yeah ye [E7] Yeah! I'm still [Am] standing. [Dm7] Yeah [Dm7] Yeah ye [E7] Yeah! [F/E-0-x-10-10-10-x][G/E-0-x-12-12-12-x]
[Chorus/Outro] Don't you know [Am7] I'm still [Am] standing better than I [Em/G] ever did. Looking like a [Dm7] true survivor, feeling like a [Fmaj7] little kid. [G] [Am7] I'm still [Am] standing after [Em/G] all this time. Picking up the [Dm7] pieces of my life without you [E7] on my mind. I'm still [Am] standing. [Dm7] Yeah [Dm7] Yeah ye [E7] Yeah! I'm still [Am] standing. [Dm7] Yeah [Dm7] Yeah ye [E7] Yeah!
