Songs about gambling , What is casino music?
Written by
Mia - Researcher / WriterLast updated:
June 26, 2023
Gambling is life, and life is all gambling. They say fortune favors the bold, and the bold and risk-taker has the best of memories and rewards in the end. We all regret not doing certain things in the past due to the risks involved. But we wish we had taken the risk and gambled.
Nobody can better express the thrill of risk-taking in life than a singer. They are the artists that produce lifelong masterpieces that last forever. In this article, you will learn how different singers captured and created feelings of gambling in their songs.
Viva Las Vegas:
It is a 1964 classic sung by Elvis Presley from a movie of the same name. The song is a one-shot scene by the talented Elvis in the movie.
This song describes the city of dreams and sins like no one else. It talks about how Las Vegas has no concept of day and night, and a person can never be the same if they once pay a visit to Las Vegas. He wishes there were more than 24 hours in a day so that he could create some of his best memories in Las Vegas. In the song, he talks about Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, Slots, and Craps.
Rambling, Gambling Willie:
This song is from the iconic Bob Dylan and was released in 1962. The song talks about the story of a poker player called Willie. He was an expert poker player going from town to town to rob everybody of their hard-earned money.
“Women would keep their husbands home when Willie came to town“. He was reckless and fathered 27 children but never had a wife. On the other hand, he would support his children and the unprivileged people in society with his gambling earnings.
He was eventually shot in the head by a player who had lost all his money to him.
“Wherever you are gambling now, nobody really knows.”
Ace of Spades:
It was released in 1980 and is the title track to the album of the same name by the Motorhead band. It talks about how winning and losing are the same, and the pleasure is in the play itself. He talks about his passion for gambling even if he loses since he does not live forever. In this song, he refers to the game of Poker, Blackjack, and Craps.
Beatin’ The Odds:
It is a song by the Molly Hatchet band, released in 1980. It analogizes victory to a tempting woman who lures someone into gambling. Her name is Victory, and she does not care about the rules of the games. She went for an adventurous ride with the gambler that day, which the song describes as a race between heaven and hell. She was not sure of the ride at the beginning, but they eventually won the game and split the prize. She enjoyed the turbulent ride and wanted to try it again.
The Gambler:
This song was written by Don Schlitz in 1976. Many singers sang it in the next two years, but Kenny Rogers’s version was a huge success.
The song talks about a seasoned poker player and a young boy sharing a train cabin. The older man asks for a sip of whiskey in return for some poker advice. He instructs the son first to learn the game right if he plans to play it.
“You got to know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em.”
“Know when to walk away and know when to run.”
“You never count your money when you are sittin’ at the table.”
“There’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealing’s done.”
Poker face:
It is a song by Lady Gaga, released in 2008. A poker player and a lover do not give away the secrets they are holding in their hearts. The song is about the similarities between the poker game and intimate relationships. Lady Gaga later explained the meaning of the Poker face is her bisexual exploration when making love with her boyfriend. He should read her face and guess what is going on in her mind (thinking about another woman).
The Winner Takes It All:
It is a song by the ABBA band, released in 1980. The song analogies the separation of two lovers to a poker game. When both gamblers play their cards, there is a winner who takes it all, and there is a loser standing by. The protagonist in the song recalls her sweet memories of being in love. She describes how destiny in a relationship acts the same as luck in gambling. Nothing is for sure, and it is better to submit to the will of destiny.
“The winner takes it all.”
“The loser has to fall.”
“It’s simple and it’s plain.”
“Why should I complain.”
When You’re Hot, You’re Hot:
It is a song by Jerry Reed released in 1971. The song talks about a Craps player winning pot after pot. The guy was rolling sevens until a cop caught him off guard and took him to court. The judge happened to be his old buddy to whom he owed 100 dollars. He eventually sentenced him to 90 days in jail.
“I said, Well, I’ll tell ya one thing, judge, old buddy, old pal.”
“If you wasn’t wearin’ that black robe, I’d take out in back of this courthouse.”
“And I’d try a little bit of your honor on.”
In a nutshell:
To live life to the fullest, one has to gamble and take risks. It is the story of gambling all your life that passes to the next generations and not your college attendance. The artists could find no better analogy for the adventurous life than gambling. History is full of people who gambled at the expense of their lives and made a name for themselves.
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