On a warm summer's evenin' 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
'Til boredom overtook us and he began to speak
He said "Son I've made a life
Out of readin' people's faces
And knowin' what their 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 face lost all expression
Said "If you're 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
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 dealing's done
Every gambler knows that
The secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowing what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
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 towards 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 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 dealing's done
You 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 dealing's done
You 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 dealing's done
