Kenny Rogers-The Gambler - BPM - 97
Harmonica is -Vocal Patches - - -
[Verse - No drums]
On a [G] warm summer's evening on a [C] train bound for [G] nowhere
I [G] met up with a gambler, we were [G] both too tired to [D] speak
So [G] we took turns a-starin' out the [C] window at the [G] darkness
'Til [C] boredom [G] overtook us [D7] and he began to [G] speak.
He said, [G] "Son, I've made a life out of [C] readin' people's [G] faces,
[G] Knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their [D] eyes,
And if [G] you don't mind me sayin', I can [C] see you're out of [G] aces,
And for a [C] taste of your [G] whiskey I'll [D] give you some [G] advice."
(bass drum on 2 and 4 to begin with - no snare)
So I [G] handed him my bottle and he [C] drank down my last [G] swallow;
[G] Then he bummed a cigarette and [G] asked me for a [D] light,
And the [G] night got deathly quiet, and his [C] face lost all [G] expression,
' said "If you're [C] gon na play the [G] game, boy, ya gotta [D] learn to play it [G] right.
[Chorus - Half time shuffle]
You got to [G] know when to hold 'em, [C] Know when to [G] fold 'em,
[C] Know when to [G] walk away And know when to [D] run.
You never [G] count [D] your [G] money When you're [C] sittin' at the [G] table;
There'll be [C] time enough for [G] countin' [D] When the dealin's [G] done.
[Verse]
[A] Every gambler knows that the [D] secret to [A] survivin'
[A] Is knownin' what to throw away and knowin' what to [E] keep
'Cause [A] every [E] hand's a [A] winner, and [D] every hand's a [A] loser,
And the [D] best that you can [A] hope for is to [E] die in your [A] sleep."
[Verse]
And [A] when he finished speakin', he [D] turned back toward the [A] window,
[A] Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to [E] sleep, (drums stop)
And [A] somewhere [E] in the [A] darkness, the [D] gambler, he broke [A] even,
But [D] in his final [A] words I found an [E] ace that I could [A] keep.
[Chorus - Drums back in]
You got to [A] know when to hold 'em, [D] Know when to [A] fold 'em,
[D] Know when to [A] walk away And [A] know when to [E] run.
You never [A] count [E] your [A] money When you're [D] sittin' at the [A] table;
There'll be [A] time [D] enough for [A] countin' [E] When the dealin's [A] done.
[Chorus]
You got to [A] know when to hold 'em, [D] Know when to [A] fold 'em,
[D] Know when to [A] walk away And [A] know when to [E] run.
You never [A] count [E] your [A] money When you're [D] sittin' at the [A] table;
There'll be [A] time [D] enough for [A] countin' [E] When the dealin's [A] done.
[Chorus - A Cappella]
You got to [A] know when to hold 'em, [D] Know when to [A] fold 'em,
[D] Know when to [A] walk away And know when to [E] run.
You never [A] count [E] your [A] money When you're [D] sittin' at the [A] table;
There'll be [A] time [D] enough for [A] countin' [E] When the dealin's [A] done.