Kenny Rogers: The Gambler (1978) Online
While sitting alone at a cozy saloon poker table, Kenny Rogers, dressed as an Old West gentleman, relates how one night he met on a train a world-weary gambler who gave him a life-changing piece of advice using poker metaphors.mm.
| Credited cast: | |||
 | Kenny Rogers | - | Himself |
Lyrics to the version of the song in the video: ~ 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/The 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 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 face 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/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 a cigarette/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.