The Gambler

On a warm summers evening on a train bound for nowhere
I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-staring out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us, and he began to speak
He said, son Ive made my life out of reading peoples faces
And knowing what the cards were by the way they held their eyes
So if you dont mind my sayin, I can see youre out of aces
For a taste of your whiskey Ill give you some advice
So I handed him my bottle, and he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression
Said, if youre gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right
You got to know when to hold em , know when to fold em
Know when to walk away, know when to run
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table
Therell be time enough for countin, when the dealins done

Now, every gambler knows, the secret to survivin
Is knowing what to throw away, knowing what to keep
Cause every hands a winner and every hands a loser
And the best you can hope for is to die in your sleep
So when hed finished speakin, he turned back toward the window
Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep
Then somewhere in the darkness, the gambler he broke even
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep
You got to know when to hold em, know when tofold em
Know when to walk away, know when to run
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table
Therell be time enough for countin, when the dealins done
You got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em
Know when to walk away, know when to run
You never count your money when youre sittin at the table
Therell be time enough for countin, when the dealins done