Johnny Cash – The Gambler (Guitar)

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On a warm summer's evening on a train bound for nowhere

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I met up with a gambler, we were both too tired to speak

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So we took turns a-starin' out the window at the darkness

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'Til boredom overtook us and he began to speak.

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He said, "Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces,

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Knowin' what their cards were by the way they held their eyes,

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And if you don't mind me sayin', I can see you're out of aces,

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And for a taste of your whiskey I'll give you some advice."

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So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow;

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Then he bummed a cigarette and asked me for a light,

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And the night got deathly quiet, and his face lost all expression,

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' said "If you're gonna play the game, boy, ya gotta learn to play it right.

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You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,

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Know when to walk away And know when to run.

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You never count your money  When you're sittin' at the table;

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There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

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Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin'

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Is knownin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep

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'Cause every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser,

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And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep." 

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You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,

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Know when to walk away And know when to run.

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You never count your money  When you're sittin' at the table;

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There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.

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And when he finished speakin', he turned back toward the window,

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Crushed out his cigarette and faded off to sleep,

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And somewhere in the darkness, the gambler, he broke even,

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But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep.  

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You got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em,

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Know when to walk away And know when to run.

            G     D    G                  C              G
You never count your money  When you're sittin' at the table;

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There'll be time enough for countin' When the dealin's done.