[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 - C#m comes in ahead of beat - lyrics straight to start but start on second note] [E] Too a [C#m]larming now, to [E] talk about [C#m] [E] Take your [C#m]pictures down, and [E] shake it out [C#m] [E] Truth or [C#m]con sequence, [E] say  it a [C#m]loud [E] Use that [C#m]e vidence, [E] race it a [C#m]round
[Chorus - Backward drums for As] [A] There goes my hero, watch him as he [E]goes [A] There goes my hero, he's ordinary [E] [riff - 2 climbs] [F#5][A] (Drums stop)
[Bendy riff - 1 bar - bend prompts the snare pickup FBF]
[Drums back in - Verse 2 - C#m on offbeats] [E] Don't the [C#m]best of them, [E] bleed it out [C#m] [E] While the [C#m]rest of them, [E] peter out [C#m] [E] Truth or [C#m]con sequence, [E] say it a [C#m]loud [E] Use that [C#m]e vidence, [E] race it a [C#m]round
[Chorus - Backward drums for As] [A] There goes my hero, watch him as he [E] goes [A] There goes my hero, he's ordinary [E] [riff - 2 climbs] [F#5][A] (Drums stop)
[Bendy riff - x2 - Main drums stop - Crashes on chords below] [E] x x x x x x x - [E] x x [C#m] x x x x x - repeat
[Bridge] [E] Ku dos  my [C#m] hero, [E]leaving all [C#m] the best [E] You know my [C#m] hero, the [E]one that's ooooooooon [C#m]
[Chorus - Backward drums for As] [A] There goes my hero, watch him as he [E] goes [A] There goes my hero, he's ordinary [E] [riff - 2 climbs] [A] There goes my hero, watch him as he [E] goes [A] There goes my hero, he's ordinary [E] [riff - 2 climbs]
[F#5][A] (Stop) [Bit of guitar waffle :-)]
[END] [Riff for chorus] [A][Fm/A][E][Emj7][Eadd9] E -------2-----------0-0-0----0----- B -2-2-2-2-----------0-0-0----0----- G -2-2-2-2--(repeat)-1-1-1----x----- D -2-1-2-2-----------2-1-2----4----- A -0-----0-----------2-2-2----2----- E -------------------0-0-0----0-----