[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.
Standard fingering with R/H so can play descending Bsus2 arp fluently E 1--1--1-0h1p0--1- B -----1-------1--- G --2-2---------2-- D ----------------- A --------0-------- E 1---------------- DRB-S-B-S-B---S-B-S-B
E --------------------- B ----6-3-----6-3------ G --3----5p3-3---5p35-- D --------------------- A --------------------- E -3-3------3----------
E --3-1p0----3--1p0-------1-------1------ B -1-----3p1-------1-11h3--3p1------3p1-1 G ------------------0----3----3--3-----3- D -----------------------------3--------- A 0---------3--3------1---------1-------- E --------------------------------------- When descending the notes of the Bsus2 do the pulloff with the little finger and then move that to 3rd fret of D string - to fret - nice rolling sustained figure [Repeat above once]
[Verse1] They say that [F] these are not the [Fmaj7/A] best of times But [Gm7] they're the only [Bbsus2] times I've ever [F] known [Fmaj7/A][Gm7][Bbsus2] And I [F] believe there is a [Fmaj7/A] time for medi [Gm7] tation In [Bbsus2] cathedrals of our [C] own ([C][G]) [C][A7] Now I've [Dm] seen that sad sur [C] render in my [Bbsus2] lover's eyes [Bbsus2/A] And [G7sus4] I can only [G7] stand upon and [Cadd9] sympathize [C] For we are [Bb] always what our [F] situations [Gm7] hand us It's either [C] sadness or [Bbsus2] euphoria - [Eb][Bbsus2] (drums in)
[Verse2] So we'll [F] argue and we'll [Fmaj7/A] compromise And [Gm7] realize that [Bbsus2] nothing's ever [F] changed [Fmaj7/A][Gm7][Bbsus2] ..For all our [F] mutual [Fmaj7/A] experience Our [Gm7] separate con [Bbsus2] clusions are the [C] same ([C][G]) [C][A7] .. Now we are [Dm] forced to recog [C] nize our inhu [Bbsus2] manity [Bbsus2/A] .. Our [G7sus4] reason co [G7] exists with our in [Cadd9] sanity [C] .. And though we [Bb] choose between re [F] ality and [Gm7] madness .. It's either [C] sadness or [Bbsus2] euphoria [Eb][Bbsus2]
[Verse3] How [Dm] thoughtlessly we [C] dissipate our [Bbsus2] energies [Bbsus2/A] Per [G7sus4] haps we don't ful [G7] fill each other's [Cadd9] fantasies [C] .. And as we [Bb] stand upon the [F] ledges of our [Gm7] lives With our [C] respective simi [Bbsus2] larities [Eb][Bbsus2] It's either [C] sadness or [F] euphoria.
[Outro] [F][Fmaj7/A][Gm7][Bbsus2] [F] Wo [Fmaj7/A] oo woh oo [Gm7] oh oo [Bbsus2] woh oh oo [F] oh [Fmaj7/A] ooh [Gm7] wo ooh [Bbsus2] woh oh oo (slows done to end) [Am7] woh oh [C] oh [Bbsus2] oh [C - (C C Cadd9 C Cadd6)] [F]
[Notes] Final chord C C C9 C C6 (x3x210 - move 2nd finger up to G string when playing normal C)
