The Gambler
Kenny Rogers (Don Schlitz, 1978)
Swiss Army Strum
4/4 | d - D u - u d u |
1 2 & & 4 &
Intro
| [C] | [F] | [C] | [F]
On a [C] warm summer's evenin', on a [F] train bound for [C] nowhere
I [C] met up with the gambler, we were both too tired to [G7] sleep
So [C] we took turns a-starin', out the [F] window at the [C] darkness
Till [F] boredom over- [C] took us, [G] and he began to [C] speak
He said [C] “Son I've made a life, out of [F] readin' peoples' [C] faces
And [C] knowin' what their cards were, by the way they held their [G7] eyes
So if [C] you don't mind my sayin', I can [F] see you're out of [C] aces
For a [F] taste of your [C] whiskey, I'll [G] give you some ad- [C] vice” [C]
So I [C] handed him my bottle, and he [F] drank down my last [C] swallow
[C] Then he bummed a cigarette, and asked me for a [G7] light
And the [C] night got deathly quiet, and his [F] face lost all ex- [C] pression
Said “if you're [F] gonna play the [C] game boy, ya gotta [G] learn to play it [C] right
Chorus
You got to [C] know when to hold 'em, [F] know when to [C] fold 'em
[F] Know when to [C] walk away, and know when to [G] run
You never [C] count your money, when you're [F] sittin' at the [C] table
There'll be [C] time e- [F]nough for [C] countin', [G] when the dealin's [C] done [C]
Key Change
| [D] | [D] |
[D] Every gambler knows, that the [G] secret to sur- [D] vivin'
Is [D] knowin' what to throw away, and knowin' what to [A7] keep
'Cause [D] every hand's a winner, and [G] every hand's a [D] loser
And the [G] best that you can [D] hope for is to [A] die in your [D] sleep.”
And [D] when he'd finished speakin', he [G] turned back toward the [D] window
[D] Crushed out his cigarette, and faded off to [A7] sleep
And [D↓] somewhere in the darkness, the [G↓] gambler he broke [D]↓] even
But [G↓] in his final [D↓] words I found an [A↓] ace that I could [D] keep
Chorus
You got to [D] know when to hold 'em, [G] know when to [D] fold 'em
[G] Know when to [D] walk away, and know when to [A] run
You never [D] count your money, when you're [G] sittin' at the [D] table
There'll be [D] time e- [G] nough for [D] countin', [A] when the dealin's [D↓] done
*Acapella - Clap Beats 2 & 4
You 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 got to [D] know when to hold 'em, [G] know when to [D] fold 'em
[G] Know when to [D] walk away, and know when to [A] run
You never [D] count your money when you're [G] sittin' at the [D] table
There'll be [D] time e- [G] nough for [D] countin', [A] when the dealin's [D↓] done
#Capo on 3rd fret to play with original. (Capo 2 after key change)
#Last Updated 10/27/17 JJ
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Kenny Rogers (Don Schlitz, 1978)
Swiss Army Strum
4/4 | d - D u - u d u |
1 2 & & 4 &
Intro
| [C] | [F] | [C] | [F]
On a [C] warm summer's evenin', on a [F] train bound for [C] nowhere
I [C] met up with the gambler, we were both too tired to [G7] sleep
So [C] we took turns a-starin', out the [F] window at the [C] darkness
Till [F] boredom over- [C] took us, [G] and he began to [C] speak
He said [C] “Son I've made a life, out of [F] readin' peoples' [C] faces
And [C] knowin' what their cards were, by the way they held their [G7] eyes
So if [C] you don't mind my sayin', I can [F] see you're out of [C] aces
For a [F] taste of your [C] whiskey, I'll [G] give you some ad- [C] vice” [C]
So I [C] handed him my bottle, and he [F] drank down my last [C] swallow
[C] Then he bummed a cigarette, and asked me for a [G7] light
And the [C] night got deathly quiet, and his [F] face lost all ex- [C] pression
Said “if you're [F] gonna play the [C] game boy, ya gotta [G] learn to play it [C] right
Chorus
You got to [C] know when to hold 'em, [F] know when to [C] fold 'em
[F] Know when to [C] walk away, and know when to [G] run
You never [C] count your money, when you're [F] sittin' at the [C] table
There'll be [C] time e- [F]nough for [C] countin', [G] when the dealin's [C] done [C]
Key Change
| [D] | [D] |
[D] Every gambler knows, that the [G] secret to sur- [D] vivin'
Is [D] knowin' what to throw away, and knowin' what to [A7] keep
'Cause [D] every hand's a winner, and [G] every hand's a [D] loser
And the [G] best that you can [D] hope for is to [A] die in your [D] sleep.”
And [D] when he'd finished speakin', he [G] turned back toward the [D] window
[D] Crushed out his cigarette, and faded off to [A7] sleep
And [D↓] somewhere in the darkness, the [G↓] gambler he broke [D]↓] even
But [G↓] in his final [D↓] words I found an [A↓] ace that I could [D] keep
Chorus
You got to [D] know when to hold 'em, [G] know when to [D] fold 'em
[G] Know when to [D] walk away, and know when to [A] run
You never [D] count your money, when you're [G] sittin' at the [D] table
There'll be [D] time e- [G] nough for [D] countin', [A] when the dealin's [D↓] done
*Acapella - Clap Beats 2 & 4
You 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 got to [D] know when to hold 'em, [G] know when to [D] fold 'em
[G] Know when to [D] walk away, and know when to [A] run
You never [D] count your money when you're [G] sittin' at the [D] table
There'll be [D] time e- [G] nough for [D] countin', [A] when the dealin's [D↓] done
#Capo on 3rd fret to play with original. (Capo 2 after key change)
#Last Updated 10/27/17 JJ
Visit UkeboxLessons