On a warm summers evenin'
On a train bound for no where
I met up with the gambler
we were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns to starrin'
out the window at the darkness
'till boredom overtook us
and he began to speak

He said sun I make my life
out of readin' peoples faces
Knowin' what the cards were
by the way they held their eyes
So if you don't mind me sayin'
I can see your out of aces.
For a taste of your whiskey
I'll give you some advice

So I handled him my bottle
And he drink down my last swallow
Then he bumped a cigarette
and asked me for a light
And the night got deadly quiet
and his face lost all expression
He said if you gonna play the game, boy
you gotta learn to play it right

You got to know when to hold'em
know when to fold'em
Know when to walk away
know when to run
You never count your money
When your sittin' at the table
There'll time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done

Now every gambler knows
the secret to survivin'
is knowin' what to throw away
and knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hands a winner
and every hands a loser
The best you can hope for
is to die in your sleep

So when he finished speekin'
He turned back for 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

You got to know when to hold'em
know when to fold'em
Know when to walk away
know when to run
You never count your money
When your sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done

You got to know when to hold'em
know when to fold'em
Know when to walk away
know when to run
You never count your money
When your sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done