Poker and music go together like strawberries and Wimbledon, like rhubarb and custard, like England and World Cup woe. But what are the best poker related songs?
We delved deep into the back catalogue of music history to find seven songs that you might want to add into your next playlist on Spotify, iTunes or your own chosen music hub. So sit back, turn up the volume and enjoy our deep listen to seven classic poker tracks.
Trying to narrow down the best Lady Gaga songs is always going to be a difficult task: the pop superstar has multiple albums with multiple hits, and most of those hits are critically adored. At the end of the day, Lund would rather play blackjack, Omaha, Chinese rummy, draw poker, split hi-lo, Texas Hold'em, let it ride, and dozens of other games than write songs, book a show, play. Poker and the life of the gambler has always held a mystical appeal to singers and music artists, the game allowing for the ups and downs of life’s crazy adventures to be metaphorically represented. Today we have a list of the top 5 ‘Best Poker Songs of all time’ for you – read’em and weep!
Kenny Rogers - The Gambler
What's it about?
Kenny isn't just chillaxing at his faux-mahoghany partner desk.He's come bearing some serious poker knowledge, all courtesy of an old drunk he met on a train, presumably bound for 'Value Town'. Turns out him and his banjaxed buddy can strike a trade. Every bit of Kenny's contraband is up for grabs as he pawns the lot for some words of wisdom. Rogers told The Muppet Show that 'The Gambler' in question died in his sleep when he 'broke even'. Hey, at least he passed on the nugget of information to Kenny that he should know when to hold 'em or fold 'em.
Performance
The Gambler got to #1 on the U.S. Country music Billboard chart, but only reached #16 on the main countdown. Oddly, it performed even worse in the U.K., getting to #22 when it was released in November 1978. But it reached #8 in Canada.
Best Lyric
Someone never listened to the maxim that should be aware of your chipstack and others at all times:
'You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done.'
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done.'
The Weepies - Vegas Baby
What's it about?
Put simply, Vegas Baby is all about leaving your regular life behind and hitting the road for a trip to Las Vegas. Countless thousands do it every year at World Series time, so as the song states, 'Slip the traffic like a noose, on the trail of some mirage.' That mirage is Las Vegas and the spirit of poker players is evident throughout the song.
Performance
Released only on the 2003 album 'Happiness', Vegas Baby is a bit of a hidden gem. An independent release, the album gave The Weepies a platform for huge success, signing to Nettwerk after it's popularity grew a devoted fanbase.
Best Lyric
Just when you think you might be out of luck, a trip to Vegas can always turn it around:
'Every time it comes
I think my luck will stay
Drive all the way
To Vegas baby.'
I think my luck will stay
Drive all the way
To Vegas baby.'
Clint Black - A Good Run of Bad Luck
What's it about?
Created as part of the soundtrack to the 1994 movie Maverick, starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster, the song - and music video - deals with the twin aims of many a poker player, namely striking it lucky at the felt and with one lucky lady. Triumphing over any run of bad luck, our hero in the song must overcome his inability to master bankroll management ('A high roller even when the chips are down') and a cripplingly bad run with a short-stack when it comes to ending the night with the girl of his dreams ('squeezin' out a thin dime 'til there's no one hanging on my arm').
Performance Roulette neighbour bets.
The hilarious music video (directed by Black himself, natch) features footage of the film Maverick interspersed with Clint Black's band prancing around on a floor similar to how your last home game ended when Gavin threw the deck all over your kitchen floor before promising never to 'return to this crap den ever again' on his way out, slamming the door I might add. Ahem. Anyway, the song reached #1 on both the U.S. and Canadian country charts, ending 1994 as the 20th best country song released. That sounded better before being written down.
Best Lyric
If this is Clint Black's logic, we're playing for 'rolls the second he wants to, in any poker room he fancies from King's Casino to Dusk Till Dawn.
'If I'm bettin' on a loser, I'm gonna have a devil to pay
But it's the only game I know to play, it doesn't matter anyway.'
But it's the only game I know to play, it doesn't matter anyway.'
Sting - Shape of My Heart
What's it about?
Sting has described the subject of his song released on 1st August 1993 as 'a card player, a gambler who gambles not to win but to try to figure out some kind of mystical logic in luck, or chance; some kind of scientific, almost religious law.' If that sounds too pompous for you, then do remember that this is Sting we're talking about. It's a great song, but it even mixes up it's game references, with the line 'He may play the jack of diamonds, he may lay the queen of spades' clearly a reference to the 19th-century French game of Bezique, the declaration of those two cards being the name of the game.
Performance
The album from which Shape of My Heart is taken was 'Ten Summoner's Tales', which came out in 1993. Shape of My Heart itself only reached #57 in the U.K. and failed to chart at all on the U.S. Billboard, although popular samples of the song helped Sugababes and Craig David reach numbers #2 and #11 respectively. Fact: the original song plays over the end credits of the film Léon, which stars Jean Reno and Natalie Portman.
Best Lyric
Can't even look ironic about this chorus. It's really good. In fact, it's almost tantric:
'I know that the spades are the swords of a soldier
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart'
I know that the clubs are weapons of war
I know that diamonds mean money for this art
But that's not the shape of my heart'
Frank Sinatra - Luck be a Lady
What's it about?
Ladies have been compared to many things over the years, but luck in poker? Actually, yeah. Sinatra's soothing tones weren't the first to sprinkle magic over the track, which was written in 1950 and featured in the musical Guys and Dolls. But he brings to life the idea that a lady might be appropriate to the luck of the roll, be it cards or, as Frank croons it, 'A lady doesn't wander all over the room and blow on some other guy's dice.'
Performance
Not many songs have been sung by both Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, but Luck be a Lady is one of them. It was also covered by Chrissie Hyde and Barbara Streisand, but the song was originally recorded by Robert Alda, who in a nod to Sinatra's love of whiskey - possibly - appeared in two episodes of the sitcom, M*A*S*H.
Best Lyric
Something tells me that our imagined gambler needs to hit a seven at the craps table:
'A lady wouldn't make little snake eyes at me
When I've got my life on this roll.'
When I've got my life on this roll.'
AC/DC - The Jack
What's it about?
In the light of recent (and right) balancing of gender roles in society, AC/DC's lyrics for this song look more than a little dated. Scott and Young's later assertion that the song is about a venereal disease ('The Jack' is Australian slang for Gonorrhea) when they sang 'That all the cards were coming from the bottom of the pack, and if I'd known what she was dealin' out, I'd have dealt it back' only make the song sound more tawdry.
Performance
The Jack was taken from the album T.N.T. which wasn't quite as explosive as AC/DC might think. If anything, ironically, it wasn't a current hit, yet has acquired fans over the years. An independent release for Albert Productions in 1975, either side of the Australian and International releases of High Voltage. The later albums Highway to Hell (1979) and Back in Black (1980) would become much bigger hits for the Australian band.
Best Lyric
Unless you're sure, don't always trust that your high card is going to hold:
'She was holdin' a pair
But I had to try,
Her deuce was wild
But my ace was high.'
But I had to try,
Her deuce was wild
But my ace was high.'
Elvis Presley - Viva Las Vegas
Best Songs For Poker
What's it about?
A love letter to the home of poker, Presley's rendition of Viva Las Vegas continues to capture the imagination gamblers from Nevada to New York and far beyond. The lyrics tell the tale of a city that is famed for 'turning day into nighttime, turning night into daytime. If you see it once, you'll never be the same again.' An endless travel brochure in song form, it is Las Vegas' greatest calling card and the theme tune to thousands of poker players' World Series dreams.
Performance
How can a song that peaked at #29 in the charts become such an iconic tune? Marketability and exposure. Originally recorded as lead song for the film of the same name where Elvis Presley plays Lucky Jackson, a race car driver who travels to Las Vegas, Nevada to take part in a Grand Prix, the song has been covered by dozens of artists during the years since. Viva Las Vegas reached #12 on the UK Singles Chart, improving to #15 after a reissue in 2007. It is, essentially, the best song about poker purely because it embodies the essence of the game's spritual home. Amazingly, the King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley never performed the song live.
Best Lyric
In one line, the song's writers Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman sum up the appeal of 'Sin City'.
'Oh, that blackjack and poker and the roulette wheel
A fortune might be lost on every deal
All you need is sonar and nerves of steel'
A fortune might be lost on every deal
All you need is sonar and nerves of steel'
So there you have it. Load up those tunes and make every partypoker LIVE tournament you play a journey you'll always have a soundtrack for. If we've missed any of your favourite tracks to play to, simply comment below and let us know!
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Whether its movies, books or music, tales about taking risks just seem to make art seem that little bit cooler. There’s been hundreds of songs about poker, casino, roulette and everything in between since music began, and we take a look at ten of the best. From rock, to pop, and even heavy metal, check out these gems!
Snake Eyes – Mumford And Sons
The seventh track featured on their 2015 album Wilder Mind, Snake Eyes is a rather somber piece referencing bad luck with an ex-lover. The title Snake Eyes is a reference to the dice roll resulting in a single pip on each dice, the lowest score available from rolling two dice, and generally considered an omen of bad luck.
Ace of Spades – Motörhead
One of the most famous rock songs in history, 1980’s Ace of Spades from the album of the same name has become an anthem across the globe. The card referenced is traditionally considered the highest card in a deck of cards, but its value can change from game to game. Both the song and the album became firm fan favorites in Motörhead’s catalog, and the song has been played at every single show since its release.
Poker Face – Lady Gaga
Featured on her debut album “The Fame” and one of the singers most famous songs, Poker Face landed at number one in charts across the globe and has been a staple of Gaga’s career ever since, earning itself covers from artists such as Pixie Lott, Chris Daughtry and even Finnish country band Steve ‘N’ Seagulls.
The Angel And The Gambler – Iron Maiden
This 1998 single from British band Iron Maiden was featured on the album Virtual XI, their second with new vocalist Blaze Bayley. The mostly CGI video features the band playing to an animated crowd, and their infamous mascot Eddie acting as house dealer against the bands bass player Steve Harris.
The Jack – AC/DC
Written by the Young Brothers and Bon Scott and appearing on their 1975 album T.N.T, the song has been featured in most of the bands live releases since its debut.
“She gave me the Queen, she gave me the King. She was wheeling’ and dealing’ just doin’ her thing. She was holdin’ a pair, but I had to try. Her deuce was wild but my ace was high.”
Although lyrically themed around gambling and packed with poker terminology, it’s rumoured that perhaps that’s not necessarily the case.
The Winner Takes It All – ABBA
A fan favorite in the ABBA catalogue, and earning itself over an incredible 40 different cover versions, this single hit #1 in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, and South Africa. Featured on the 1980 album Super Trouper, the song was rumored to be about the divorce of band members Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus but has been heavily denied by both parties on numerous occasions.
Tumbling Dice – The Rolling Stones
Featured on the infamous 1972 double album Exile On Main Street, the lyrics tell the story of a gambling man who can’t remain faithful to any woman. Credited as a Jagger/Richards composition, the song was initially called Good Time Women, but after Jagger decided he wasn’t a fan of the lyrics so decided to write new ones, settling on the title, and turning to his house keeper for inspiration for the rest of the words.
Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Presley
Best Gambling Songs
Probably the most famous gambling song in the world, and the unofficial soundtrack to the city that never sleeps, this track was initially released as a B-Side to “What’d I Say” from the film, Viva Las Legas. Although Presley never played the song live, it’s been covered live by numerous artists and is credited with selling over half a million copies.
Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple
Without a doubt the most popular guitar riff in history, the lyrics to this song tell the story of Deep Purple recording their album Machine Head in Montreux, Switzerland with a mobile recording studio called “The Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Studio” The day before Deep Purple were due to start recording, the Mobile was parked next to the Montreux Casino, an arena that was part of a complex of gambling halls, restaurants and theatres.
While Frank Zappa and his band the Mothers of Invention were onstage, a fire was ignited when an audience member shot a flare into the venue ceiling. The Casino burned to the ground (online casino gaming is much safer), but the studio and band were moved in time to escape damage.
Train of Consequences – Megadeth
Best 100 Poker Songs
Featured on the 1994 album Youthanasia, the lyrics to Train of Consequences tells the story of a man whose laundry list of poor decisions and betrayals eventually start to catch up with him.
“No horse ever ran as fast, as the money that you bet. I’m blowing on my cards and I play them to my chest”
The album received positive reviews upon its release and was commercially successful, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, and was certified platinum for shipping one million copies in the United States by 1995
(Article provided by Gina Hutchings, Gaming and Gambling Consultant at Paddy Power Casino)
Author: Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites.