The Gambler Lyrics - Kenny Rogers
Review The Song (19)
On a warm summer's eve
On a train bound for nowhere
I met up with the gambler
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin'
Out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us, and he began to speak
He said, "Son, I've made my life
Out of readin' people's faces
Knowin' what the cards were
By the way they held their eyes
So if you don't mind my sayin'
I can see you're out of aces
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll 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 faced lost all expression
He said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right
You've 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Now every gambler knows the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
And every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for
Is to die in your sleep"
So when he finished speakin'
He turned back for 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've 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
You've got to know when to hold 'em
(When to hold 'em)
Know when to fold 'em
(When to fold 'em)
Know when to walk away
know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
You've 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
On a train bound for nowhere
I met up with the gambler
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin'
Out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us, and he began to speak
He said, "Son, I've made my life
Out of readin' people's faces
Knowin' what the cards were
By the way they held their eyes
So if you don't mind my sayin'
I can see you're out of aces
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll 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 faced lost all expression
He said, "If you're gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right
You've 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Now every gambler knows the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
And every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for
Is to die in your sleep"
So when he finished speakin'
He turned back for 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've 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
You've got to know when to hold 'em
(When to hold 'em)
Know when to fold 'em
(When to fold 'em)
Know when to walk away
know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
You've 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Writer: SCHLITZ, DON
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
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Strategy for life | Reviewer: Anonymous | 4/17/13
This song is about the strategy of life. Know when to hold em (know when to stay) know when to fold em )know when to give up on something or someone and try something or someone else. Know when to run - know when to get the hell out of your situation quickly for your own sake. You never count your money, sitting at the table (never let people know your game plan or be too complacent about your luck or winnings - because things could change in a heartbeat)and there'll be time enough for counting when the dealing is done. (when it is all clear and on the table) In the end, we all break even. We are all the same in the end. The game is a strategy for coping with life but in the end we all die and we're equal.
fold 'em | Reviewer: jani | 11/24/12
It's a great song this. Whenever I hear it, I can picture a smoky back room, a naked light bulb over a card table, with a few sleazy-looking characters hunched over, beers all round and broken dreams.
Real. | Reviewer: Ryan Ray Jnr Banks | 11/18/12
Dats a gud song wit agud advice.thumbs up to yu Roggers for yo song iz rily touchin.yu should knw hw to play de game 4 yu 2survive,'every gambler knows the secret to survivin' kul dat.
Leaving a bad situation behind | Reviewer: Anonymous | 10/28/12
Life is like a card game in which we don't have much control over the hands we're dealt. Success in life, or even just getting through, depends on knowing that we can either hold the cards we're dealt, or fold them and walk away to try again in another time and place. Knowing this, that we're not limited by what's immediately before us, is an "ace" we can keep. Nice insight, Kenny!
A Reality | Reviewer: Barnabas K. Ruto | 9/26/12
The song reveals our ultimate destination in life.AS in a race,many participates but only the determined,calculative athletes emerges the winners.In life,we all starts from the same point,but ends up in different destinations,depending on how one played his own cards.Others ends up being the greatest engineers,doctors and leaders,while others ends up being robbers,terrorists and miserable people.Gamble smartly
gambling | Reviewer: Anonymous | 7/19/12
you have to know when to fold,
when to run,when to walk away! this is true, never mind your environment, simply when things gotta more and more hard for you know how to run and go so far from them! run away is never a shame but it is enabled only by heroes!
dedicate to all of you!
A Song of Peace | Reviewer: Pristly | 3/6/12
My lecturer came to class & asked all of us to listen to dis song & let it flow in our vain. Am glad I did. According to him there is a lesson in d song dat every diplomat or a negotiator should learn; LEAVE D STAGE WHEN D OVATION IS LOUDEST, becos u can't win all the time & u can't hav all u want. There is a wisdom in dis song.
Life is all about gambling | Reviewer: Anonymous | 10/14/11
Yea 'the gambler' was right..life is just gambling..situations in life is all about u winnin or losing..somtimes u just happen to break even...somtimes u in a trap not knowin whot to keep or throw away.
Love this song | Reviewer: Angii | 6/8/11
My favorite analogy for life is a deck of cards or a hand. For those of u that dont get this let me expain. If u have a bad day that is like a bad hand of cards. Jus because u have a bad hand doesnt mean u lose the game, just because u had a bad day doesnt mean everyday will be bad. I love this song. for those that think the "gambler" lost, not so he reached the end of his life so now it is time to sit back and "count his money". As for the other man he was down on his luck. the gambler gave him some advice that meant a lot and helped him. it gave him the power to turn his "losing hand" into a "winning hand". I love this song because it helps me to know that no matter what i am going thru it wont break be the end of me unless i let it. Im gonna play my deck of cards till i have none left.
love this song | Reviewer: ratgirl34 | 3/10/11
I like this song. Sometimes life is a gamble, and if we don't know when to walk away or play our 'aces' we gamble poorly. Whether financially, romanticly, professionally... It's a harder lesson to learn than an old guy on a train telling you so lol But for those who learn it... Lucky bastards lol
gambler is philosophic of life. | Reviewer: JOHN | 9/23/10
if you notice the train is bound for nowhere. THAT SHOWS THE SONG IS SYMBOLIC. The gambler thinks kenny rogers is out of aces but because it is he (stranger) who is out of aces or he wouldn't be buming kennys last drink and cigarette. As he drifts off to sleep it appears he is dead in his sleep. while kenny had an ace he could have played to his benefit to win the game. we are all gamblers in life and we all break even at the end. THE LORD JESUS GUARANTEES IT. nitroman
Don't get it | Reviewer: dogboy | 8/17/10
This song has fooled a lot of people, it offers no great life answers, it makes no sense and is so simple it gets all the fools looking for a "deeper meaning". It's funny when they all say "oh ya, I get it, this song is so deep". Ha ha no its not, the lyrics mean nothing.
Th best | Reviewer: Rashid- kenya | 11/29/09
Ths song reminds me of young days where ma life is fully translated! To ma friend and brother 'gabano mohammed' who didn't made to die in his sleep bt th street! RIP BROTHER, PRMS U' I'L DIE IN MA SLEEP JST 4 U!
Never die attitude | Reviewer: Dave | 10/17/07
Come on england on saturday jason robinson lead a boyent england team to sing this special song after there defeat of france noe time to make history
Amazingg | Reviewer: Jacob | 9/9/07
this song is great my uncle had it played at his funeral he owne da bar drank whiskey smoked cigars and gambled...basically this is his life song
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