People often refer to me
as a total Jack Ace.
I just tell them that, in fact,
I’m more like a rabid K-9.
Don’t mind the foam in my mouth.
When the king goes a floppin’
don’t even bother knockin’
Numbah nine.
Numbah nine.
Your tens just lost their
perfect shine, I’ll
soak you up just like
Brawny
cleaning wine.

Yes, I've gambled with the heart
I've betted, cheated, lost and won
More than I can count
Yes, I've gambled with the heart

Dangerous business
Gamblin' with somethin'
so delicate
but my wins out-weigh
my losses
And I say "Hey, that's good enough."

And I know I've hurt some people
And I know I've hurt some hearts
Almost like gamblin' with a loaded gun
But that's just all the rage these days
Gamblin' with the heart

Dangerous business
Gamblin' with somethin'
so delicate
but my wins out-weigh
my losses
And I say "Hey, that's good enough."

And i got to say
to all my victims
I regret to say
I'm gettin' better at gamblin'
Everyday with hearts

And you really hope
They just don't go
And break

I became whole
But my body was broken
Ridden with age,
I grabbed my last token

Into the machine
My luck was spent
The scythe to my back
To Hell I was sent

Hell is a hole
Hell is a mountain
Whether you fall
Or whether you found it

You climb and you reach
But the air just gets thinner
You grind at your teeth
But you are the dinner

You fight and you wrythe
But the chains cut you deeper
You find what was lost
And why you can't keep her

I left my soul
In a devil's arcade
'Neath a pile of clubs
Hearts diamond and spades

I tasted the blood
And sulfur and ash
The wine hit my teeth
Like a tamer's quick lash

My body was broken
Whole was I made
When I sold my soul
In the devil's arcade

My Mom took me to the casino to gamble with her money.
Played video poker and roulette, and very well could have
just lit $80 on fire.
The casino was my Vietnam.
We sit down and order sodas from a machine
called "Fairies of the Forest".
No intention or idea how to play it.
Put in $20.
Press a couple buttons.
Won $140.
I think the laws of physics break down
under that ceiling.
Like Alice in Wonderland on acid...
or would it be more acid?

We flew to Las Vegas
and Atlantic City
a lot in our gambler years.
Walked down the Strip
or Borgata
bathed in city lights
pumped up on drinks.

Lester got snatched
for counting cards,
Derrick went away,
drunk driving,
we don’t care
we just keep drinking
and keep losing.

Practicing poker faces
at the table
makes it easier
to lie to our wives.

And we don’t talk about our kids
while at the tables
or in the bar.
College funds gambled away
or spent on prostitutes.
We know we’re
letting them down.