On a warm summers evenin' on a train bound for nowhere
I met up with a gambler we were both to tired to sleep
So we took turns in starin' at the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us and he began to speak
He said "son I've made my life at readin' peoples faces"
And knowin' what the cards were by the way they held their eyes
So if you don't mind me sayin' I can see you're out of Aces
For a taste of your Whiskey I'd give you some advice
So I handed him my bottle and he drank down my last swallow
Then he bumed a cigarette and asked me for a light
And the night got deathly quite and his face lost all expression
He said if you're goin' play the game boy
You got to 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealings done
Every gambler knows that the secret to survivin'
Is knowing 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 to the window
Brushed out the 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 you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for coutin' when the dealings done
You 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
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 dealings 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 dealings done