Poker & Gambling Musical Connections No. 5
Hope you're not feelin' tired- there's whiskey a-plenty, the cigars are Cuban, and the pot is big. So settle back, check your hand, and let this music inspire you to bluff big-time!
1. The Darktown Poker Club (Phil Harris)
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“Bill Jackson was a poor old dub who joined the dark town poker club but cursed the day he told them he would join..his money would go like it had wings if he held Queens someone had kings…” This is really the earliest rap record ever! Love it! Be great doing a cartoon or graphic mini-film to this song! Though successful as an orchestra leader, Harris is remembered today for his recordings as a vocalist, his voice work in animation (probably most famous later in his career for his roles as bears, one being Baloo in Disney's The Jungle Book). All together now-“It’s just those … bare necessities…”
2. Gambler’s Blues (B B King)
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A really nice cover version of this great blues song. Reminds me of the time I had Aces and Queens Full House, and the only other bloke left in beat me with quad deuces! Holy Moly was I sick!!
3. Son of a Rotten Gambler (The Hollies)
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A great Hollies song from 1974. It’s been commented that Allan Clarke, the lead singer had a very androgenous look: slacks...check, blouse...check, necklace and earring...check, boufant hair..check. Naice!
Back on the road now deacon will lose your hand
There ain't no kingdom for the gamblin' man
You know the road now and you've made your stand
When his eyes shine upon you, shine upon you.
4. Bad Card (Bob Marley)
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Oh man! The number of times I’ve drawn a “bad cyard”! The track taken from our Bob’s last studio album release- he died the next year, 1981. RIP.
5. Gambler’s Dream (Molly Hatchet)
Hey these guys look mighty tough hombres si? Here’s Danny Joe Brown of the band doing the song some great justice:
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The lyrics set out a Poker game against John Lee…
I rolled against john lee
He's a helluva man
He's hailed from dallas, texas
And he's known throughout the land.
Oh, the night was growin' colder
The crowd was wearin' thin John lee put up his savings
Thinkin' he was gonna win
His hands were startin' to tremble
Money gettin' low
Ain't gonna let this georgia farm boy
Walk outa here with his dough.
Not going to tell you what happens…. I’m like that ha Ha!
6. Crazy Game of Poker (OAR)
Follow the lyrics here for another detailed run-down of a gripping Poker Game!
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From O.A.R’s 1997 album The Wanderer:
“well now my feet are growing tired
My eyes are lookin wired
Don't know what to do unless I retire
he just said "let's play some crazy poker" yeeaaaahh”
7. The Name of the Game is Stud (Tom Paxton)
Sadly I couldn’t find an original version of the song with a video, but I came across a bloke who looks like my Granddad singing it well, and sticking up the chords and the lyrics so you can sing n play along. Neat!
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Thomas Richard "Tom" Paxton (born October 31, 1937) is an American folk singer and singer-songwriter who has been writing, performing and recording music for over forty years. In 2009, Paxton received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. If you haven’t heard any of his material, be careful- it’s great and if you get hooked, you’ve got an awful lot of time and money to spend catching up. Bit like startin’ to play Poker in retirement!
8. Beach Blanket Bingo (Donna Loren)
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A film and a song. Beach Blanket Bingo was an American International Pictures beach party film, released in 1965 and was directed by William Asher. It was the fifth film in the beach party film series. The film starred Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello and also featured cameos by Paul Lynde, Don Rickles and Buster Keaton. Err I know Buster Keaton, but that’s about all! And there were 5 of them?? Wow. Where was I in that Summer of ’65? Probably on the beach in the rain at Herne Bay, Kent.
9. Viva Las Vegas (Elvis Presley)
"Viva Las Vegas" is the well-known 1964 song written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman and recorded by Elvis Presley for his Viva Las Vegas film vehicle of that year. It has since become widely known and often performed by others, including ZZ Top, Nina Hagen, Dead Kennedys, Dolly Parton and Engelbert Humperdinck!
Here is Elvis the Pelvis as Lucky Jackson in his 1964 movie Viva Las Vegas, singing the title song:
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10. Tumbling Dice (The Rolling Stones)
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'Cause all you women is low down gamblers
Cheatin' like I don't know how
But baby, I go crazy, there's fever in the funk house now
This low down bitchin' got my poor feet a itchin'
You know you know the duece is still wild
This is Craps of course, a game I sucked at when I was in Las Vegas! The Stones did a few gamblin’ type songs but this is the best I reckon! It’s about a Gambler who just can’t remain faithful to any woman. An updated version from a female perspective was also a top 40 single for Linda Ronstadt in 1978, which is included in the film FM.
