LISTENING"The Gambler" is a song performed by American country music artist Kenny Rogers. This page provides information about the song and links to the lyrics and the official video.
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the song
- Song:
The Gambler
- Album:
The Gambler- Date of release:
November 15, 1978- Genre:
Country- Length of the song:
3minutes and 32 seconds.- Writers:
Don Schlitz
- Produced by:
Larry Butler
Interesting information about the song
The song tells the story of a late-night encounter on a train "bound for nowhere" between the narrator and a man known only as the gambler. The gambler tells the narrator that he can tell he is down on his luck ("out of aces") by the look in his eyes and offers him advice in exchange for his last swallow of whisky. After the gambler takes the drink and a cigarette, he gives him advice:
Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what to throw away
And knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
And every hand's a loserThe video
The lyrics
Language points
The song includes many interesting language points:
Eexpressions that may be useful to students:
- I met up with the gambler
We were both too tired to sleep
So we took turns a-starin'
Out the window at the darkness
The boredom overtook us, he began to speak
Source: Wikipedia
