Johnny Cash
"Gambler"

(Don Schlitz)

About twenty years ago on a train bound for nowhere
I met up with a gambler we were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a starin' through the window at the darkness
Till boredom overtook us and he commenced to speak
He said son I've made the 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 would say you're out of aces
And for one taste of your whiskey I would give you some advice
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette then he bummed the light
And the night got deathly quiet and his face lost all expression
He said if you wanna play the game boy you better learn to play it right
Cause every gambler knows that the secret to survival
Is knowin' what to throw away knowin' what to keep
And every hand's a winner just like every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep
Now you gotta know when to hold 'em know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away know when to run
You don't never count your money while you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done
You gotta know when to hold 'em...

And when he finished speaking he turned back toward the window
Put out his cigarette faded off to sleep
Somewhere in the darkness the gambler he broke even
But in his final words I found an ace that I could keep
You gotta know when to hold 'em...