Kenny Rogers - The Gambler

this is the only version that i find works , all the others didn’t and so i figured this out .
niallmh . . 8/jan/2010

* * * * after first chorus , all chords are raised , E – F , A – A# , B – C
so you can figure the rest out after that * * * *

E A E
on a warm summer’s evenin’ on a train bound for nowhere ,
A E A B
i met up with the gambler; we were both too tired to sleep .
E A E
so we took turns a starin’ out the window at the darkness
A E B E
’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 .
and 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 , ya gotta learn to play it right .

chorus :
E A E
you got to know when to hold ’em , know when to fold ’em ,

A E A B
know when to walk away and know when to run .
E A E
you never count your money when you’re sittin’ at the table .
A E B E
there’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done .

F A# F
ev’ry gambler knows that the secret to survivin’
A# F A# C
is knowin’ what to throw away and knowing what to keep .
F A# F
’cause ev’ry hand’s a winner and ev’ry hand’s a loser ,
A# F C F
and the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep . ”

and when he’d 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