The Gambler

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About 20 years ago, on a train bound for nowhere I met up with The Gambler 
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We were both too tired to sleep 
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So we took turns a starin' through the window at the darkness 
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Til' boredom overtook us and he commenced to speak 
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He said: Son, I've made a life out of readin' people's faces 
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And knowin' what their cards were, by the way they held their eyes 
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And if you don't mind my sayin', I would say you're out of aces 
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"And for one taste of your whiskey, I will 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; then he bummed a light 
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The night got deathly quiet and his face lost all expression. 
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He said: If you're gonna play the game, boy, you better learn to play it right 
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'Cos ev'ry gambler knows that the secret to survival 
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Is knowin' what to throw away and knowin' what to keep 
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And ev'ry hand's a winner, just like ev'ry 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; know when to run 
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You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table 
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There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done 
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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; know when to run 
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You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table 
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There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done 

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And when he finished speakin', he turned back t'ward the window 
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Put out his cigarette; 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; know when to run 
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You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table 
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There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done 

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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; know when to run 
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You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table 
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There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done 

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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; know when to run 
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You don't ever count your money while you're sittin' at the table 
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There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin' is done