[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] [Fm7] Her name is (drums back in) [Bb7]Lola She was a [Ebmaj7]showgirl With yellow [Am7-5]feathers in her [D7]hair & a [Gm7]dress cut down 2 there [Fm7] She would me [Bb7] rengue And do the [Ebmaj7]cha-cha And while she [Am7-5]tried to be a [D7]star, Tony [Gm7]always tended bar Across the [Cm]crow [D7]ded [Gm]floor They worked from [Cm]eight [D7]til [Gm]four They were [Cm]young and they had each[D7] other Who could [Gm7]ask [Gbm7]for [Fm7]more ----
[Chorus] At the [Bb7]Copa, Co pa ca [Ebmaj7]ba na--- The [Fm7]hottest spot [Bb7]north of Ha [Ebmaj7]vana [C7] At the [Bb7]Co pa, Co pa ca [Gm7]ba [C7]na-- [Fm7]Music and [Bb7]passion were [Gm7]always in [C7]fashion at the [Fm7]Co pa [D7] (BIG STOP)
[Verse 2] His name was [Bb7]Rico He wore a [Ebmaj7]diamond He was es [Am7-5]corted to his [D7]chair He saw [Gm7]Lola dancing there [Fm7] And when she [Bb7]finished He called her [Ebmaj7]over But Rico [Am7-5]went a bit too [D7]far Tony [Gm7]sailed across the bar And then the [Cm]pun [D7]ches [Gm]flew And chairs were [Cm]smashed [D7]in [Gm]two There was [Cm]blood and a single [D7]gunshot But just [Gm7]who [Gbm7]shot [Fm7]who?
[Chorus] At the [Bb7] Co pa, Co pa ca [Ebmaj7]ba na The [Fm7] hottest spot [Bb7]north of Ha [Ebmaj7]vana [C7] At the [Bb7] Co pa, Co pa ca [Gm7]ba [C7]na [Fm7]Music and [Bb7]passion were [Gm7]always in [C7]fashion at the [Fm7] Co pa [D7] (BIG STOP)
She lost her love [Gm7] [Gm9]Co [Gm9]pa [Gbm9][Fm9] [Fm9]Co [Gbm9]pa [Gm9]ca [Gm9]ba [Gm9]na [Gm9] ([Gbm9]) [Fm9] (no stops straight into chromatic section)
[Interlude - Gm9-353335 - all barre chords that go up and down neck] [On neck same chord shape but position of bass note on E string is 3 - 3456 - 6789 - 9876 - 6543 -2] [Gm9]Copa [Gm9]co [G#bm9]pa [Am9]ca [Bbm9]ba [Bbm9]na [Bbm9]co [Bm9]pa [Cm9]ca [C#bm9]ba [C#bm9]na [C#bm9]Mu [Cm9]sic [Bm9]and [Bbm9]pa [Bbm9]ssion [Bbm9]Al [Am9]ways [G#bm9]in [Gm9]fash (pause) [Gbm9] ion
[Verse 3 - Am7-5 x01013] [NC] Her name is [Bb7]Lola She was a [Ebmaj7]showgirl But that was [Am7-5]thirty years a [D7]go When they [Gm7]used to have a show [Fm7] Now it's a [Bb7]disco But not for [Ebmaj7]Lola Still in the [Am7-5]dress she used to [D7]wear [Gm7]Faded feathers in her hair She sits there [Cm]so [D7]re [Gm]fined And drinks her [Cm]self [D7]half [Gm]blind She lost her [Cm]youth and she lost her [D7]Tony and she's [Gm7]lost [Gbm7]her [Fm7]mind
[Chorus] [Fm7] At the [Bb7]Co pa, Co pa ca [Ebmaj7]ba na The [Fm7]hottest spot [Bb7]north of Ha [Ebmaj7]vana [C7] At the [Bb7]Co pa, Co pa ca [Gm7]ba [C7]na [Fm7]Music and [Bb7]passion were [Gm7]always in [C7]fashion at the [Fm7]Copa
