The Gambler Chords by Johnny Cash

[Start]

[Verse]
A                       
■ About twenty years ago
     D               A      
On a train bound for nowhere
      A                  
I met up with The Gambler
                          E    
We were both too tired to sleep
A                         
So we took turns a starin'
            D             A       
Through the window at the darkness
D            A          
'til boredom overtook us
E                   A    
And he commenced to speak
                         A   
He said 'Son I've made a life
       D                A    
Out of readin' people's faces
                       A         
And knowin' what their cards were
                           E   
By the way they held their eyes
       A                       
And if you don't mind my sayin'
        D                 A   
I would say you're out of aces
                          A      
And for one taste of your whiskey
       E             A      
I will give you some advice'
   A                     
So I handed him my bottle
       D                  A      
And he drank down my last swallow
        A                 
Then he bummed a cigarette
                 E    
Then he bummed a light
A                          
The night got deathly quiet
        D             A         
And his face lost all expression
            D                     A       
He said 'If you're gonna play the game boy
           E                A     
You better learn to play it right'
                     A    
'cause ev'ry gambler knows
         D         A       
That the secret to survival
                   A         
Is knowin' what to throw away
                    E   
And knowin' what to keep
A                        
And ev'ry hand's a winner
          D              A    
Just like ev'ry hand's a loser
                          A       
And the best that you can hope for
      E           A    
Is to die in your sleep
                        A       
You got to know when to hold 'em


[Chorus]
D            A       
Know when to fold 'em
D            A        
Know when to walk away
             E  
Know when to run
          A                    
You don't ever count your money
             D              A    
While you're sittin' at the table
                            A       
There'll be time enough for countin'
         E          A   
When the dealin' is done
                        A       
You got to know when to hold 'em
D            A       
Know when to fold 'em
D            A        
Know when to walk away
             E  
Know when to run
          A                    
You don't ever count your money
             D              A    
While you're sittin' at the table
                            A       
There'll be time enough for countin'
         E          A   
When the dealin' is done


[Verse]
                     A       
And when he finished speakin'
D                         A     
He turned back t'ward the window
            A        
Put out his cigarette
             A    
Faded off to sleep
E7  A                        
And somewhere in the darkness
D                    A   
The gambler he broke even
                 A    
But in his final words
           E                A   
I found an ace that I could keep
                        A       
You got to know when to hold 'em


[Chorus]
D            A       
Know when to fold 'em
D            A        
Know when to walk away
             E  
Know when to run
E7                             
You don't ever count your money
             D              A    
While you're sittin' at the table
                            A       
There'll be time enough for countin'
         E          A   
When the dealin' is done
E7         A                    
You got to know when to hold 'em
             A       
Know when to fold 'em
             A        
Know when to walk away
             A  
Know when to run
                          A    
You don't ever count your money
                            A    
While you're sittin' at the table
                            A       
There'll be time enough for countin'
                    A   
When the dealin' is done
                        A       
You got to know when to hold 'em
D            A       
Know when to fold 'em
D            A        
Know when to walk away
             E  
Know when to run
          A                    
You don't ever count your money
             D              A    
While you're sittin' at the table
                            D       
There'll be time enough for countin'
         E          A   
When the dealin' is done


[End]