the Gambler by Kenny Rogers

This is about as classic as I get with country. I don't know hardly anything when it comes to old country music. I remember hearing some at my grandparents and my aunt and uncles growing up. Obviously, this song was a little more popular than just a "country" song which is why I know it.

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 a 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 me 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

And 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

Every gambler knows

That 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

And when he finished speakin'

He turned back toward the window

Crushed out his cigarette

And faded off to sleep

And 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

And 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

And 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

And 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

o

• This is the 110th song on this blog.
• This is the 1st song by Kenny Rogers and he is the 96th artist on this blog.
• This is the 2nd song released in 1978 on this blog.
• This is the 10th song listed in the Country genre on this blog.

We have a new number 1 in the top 5 in the last 30 days. 2 days ago, the song You Wouldn't Know by Hell Yeah was posted and it shot to the top spot bumping off Babe by Styx off the list after it appeared for 23 days. It is actually tied with Automatic by the Pointer Sisters for the bottom spot in the top 5 of all time. I certainly wasn't expecting that song to generate that much buzz. Don't get me wrong, I like the song, quite a bit, but wasn't sure anyone would know it.