TYCS 10-A Hard Card To Play

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We're back up and running, and with a fresh batch of gambling songs for the pleasure of all our unlucky pals. Here it is, then:

Mr. Gold and Mr. Mudd — Townes Van Zandt

"Man, they took my girl too." We're curious if these lyrics made sense to TVZ, but certain they don't to anyone we've asked. Nonetheless (or for that reason?),  hands-down the best stud poker-themed song ever sung.

Jack O' Diamonds — John Lee Hooker

It's a hard card to play.

 

Railroadin' and Gamblin' — Uncle Dave Macon

Here's the long description from The Ballad Index, and who are we to argue:

More Uncle Dave Macon surrealism. Singer has been in the state house (prison?) and the court house, and is broke from gambling despite his mother's advice. "Lawd, that preacher got, ain't that a sin/Johnny get your whiskers cut, here comes the wind." Chorus: "Railroadin' and gamblin'/Pickin' up chips for mammy/Lawd, lawd, lawd/Take your feet out the sand, stick 'em in the mud." You figure it out.

Diamonds and Gold - Tom Waits

So far as this blog is concerned, there's Dylan, Cohen, Waits and Van Zandt, and then a big drop-off before anyone else.

The Gambler's Dying Words — Norman Blake

Cheerful stuff.

Gambling Man - Woody Guthrie

Actually cheerful stuff. 

Rambling Gambling Willie - Bob Dylan

Young Dylan comes quite correct. 

Bilnd Willie McTell — Delia

Dylan does a great cover of this on his extremely underrated early-90s covers album World Gone Wrong, but McTell's take is unimpeachable. 

Becky Dean, She Was a Gamblin' Girl — Leadbelly

Continuing the gambling girl cut down theme.

The Gambling Man — Sister O.M. Terrell

Your Dice Won't Pass — Smokey Babe

Oddly, Smokey Babe is the man here. No idea who the woman is. 

Shooting High Dice — Mississippi Sheiks

If you win, your woman will spend it. And if you lose, she won't let you in. 

Gambling Polka Dot Blues — Jimmie Rodgers

"He bet his watch and I called it/And lost my money like a man."

Dyin' Crapshooters Blues — Ian Thomas

Thomas is the real deal. Check out more at his website, and for fuck's sake, support living artists.

The Stranger Song (live 1972) — Leonard Cohen

Is this the best opening lyric ever? "It's true that all the men you knew/Were dealers who said they were through/With dealing/Every time you gave them shelter." We think so. We know, though, that "That's all/I don't think of you that often" is the best closing lyric ever.

Viva Las Vegas — Citigrass

The best bluegrass band in NYC, which is higher praise than you might guess. Check their website for more.

Ooh Las Vegas — Gram Parsons

If Parsons had lived, he'd be up there with our big four. 

The Gambler — Johnny Cash

We had to have this on our gambling mix, and figured we should steer clear of the Kenny Rogers recordings, and the Pharoahe Monch rap cover too.