Poker & Gambling Musical Connections No. 4

Thursday, 02 February 2012 17:24

Time to crack open a fresh deck of cards, settle the blinds, and reach for the music as we continue our gambler's excursion through music. Blinds in please! Eyes Down! Roll those dickey-di-dohs (die).

1. Lily, Rosemary, and the Jack of Hearts (Bob Dylan)
Here’s an interesting version of the song by Bob’s one time confidant/girlfriend, Joan Baez. Read Joan B’s autobiography and she'll tell you exactly why she covered a lot of Dylan songs. Because they're so damn good, that's why. According to her he wrote the best songs of that era. I tend to agree. It's very refreshing to hear Joan do the Dylan stuff, because she does it in her own unique style but doesn’t damage the quality of the song. The song melds mid-west festivals and diamond mines with gambling references, beginning:

The festival was over and the boys were all planning for a fall
The cabaret was quiet except for the drilling in the wall
The curfew had been lifted and the gambling wheel shut down
Anyone with any sense had already left town
He was standing in the doorway looking like the Jack of Hearts.

2. The Luck of the Draw (Bonnie Raitt)
Originally by Paul Brady, Bonnie Raitt’s version is very well known. Here’s a version of the song stripped down so you can hear the clever but simple chord sequences and maybe give it a try yourselves! It’s a song and the name of Bonnie’s 11thth album, released in 1991.

3. Norman the Gambler (Max Romeo and the Upsetters)
Max Romeo I remember well by having the first ever single (“Wet Dream”) that we were not allowed to play at my local Sunday evening church-affiliated club, because the Curate found the lyrics “lewd and offensive”. This song is much less so, a bit of fun about Normal the Gambler riding ‘round in his Rambler. He sounds a bit of a cad!

Norman the gambler,
Rides around in a rambler,
Diamonds and pearls in the back.
Occupation house master,
He lives off the less,
Running from the east to the west.
(Let me tell you more);

In the song you can hear him slapping down and naming the cards.

4. Poker (ELO)
I must admit I could never get a handle on ELO: synths and cellos? Were they Prog Rock? Pomp Classic? But anyhow, this was a lively Gamblin’ song! It was released as a double-A sided single in 1979 and got to number 8 in the UK charts.

The dream, in every player's heart,
To win it all not part,
They lie awake at night,
I know, you know, they know, we all know.
The game, where gamblers rule the night,
And get your blood they might,
The joker's closin' in,
I know, you know, they know, we all know.

5. Royal Flush (BigBoi)
A single by American rapper and OutKast member Big Boi. This song contains sampled elements from the song "Voyage to Atlantis" by The Isley Brothers between each verse. Big Boi refers to this when at the end of his verse he says, "take a voyage to Atlantis".

6. The Gambler (Marc Almond) Marc’s 6th Studio album, had a single pulled from it: The desperate Hours b/w The Gambler. Marc often used gambling references in his torch songs.

7. Turn the Cards Slowly (Patsy Cline)
But not too slowly, otherwise we’ll be here all evening until someone gets the pot! Written by Sammy Masters and released on Bonfire Night, 1955

Turn the cards slowly while you're dealin', darlin'
Please don't double-deal to win my heart
Turn the cards slowly while you're dealin', darlin'
Don't go breakin' rules right from the start
The ramblin', gamblin', reckless way you treat my heart's a sin
Each night down on my knees I pray your gamblin' ways will end
Turn the cards slowly while you're dealin', darlin'
And if you stack the deck, then I'll move on

8. All I wanna Do is Play Cards (Corb Lund Band)
And is there anything wrong with that I ask?? A real fun hee-har country rocker with more card games mentioned in than almost any other song: Take these two verses for example..

Chinese rummy, greek manila, omaha, dutch chase
Start em when they're young with fish and war and crazy eights
Twenty one and thirty one and seven twenty seven
Well if i don't play for money, hon, will i still get to heaven
Three card brag and three card monte, razz and deuce to seven
Melding sets and red dog bets and counting cards with Kevin
Between the sheets and screw your neighor, let it ride, strip poker
Old men on the corner playing pinochle and euchre

9. The Gambler’s Prayer (Jonathan Coulton)
Here he is prayin’ to the Lord to give him some good cards… is it likely he/she gonna listen? It’s a great little song actually, very witty. “ Lord, help me take money from my friends”!

10. Lazy Poker Blues (Fleetwood Mac)
A rare but rocking version of "Lazy Poker Blues", from Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac live from the Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, 1968. Pete’s distinctive playing is very easy on the ear. As you can see from the lyrics, there appears to be another meaning of the word “Poker”!

Me and my baby don’t do nothing but lay around all day long
I said me and my baby don’t do nothing but lay around all day long
Yeah when I’m with my baby, lazy poker goin’ on
She puts some coal on the fire so I can keep my poker hot
She puts some coal on the fire so I can keep my poker hot
Yeah, we stoke around all day long and night time we stoke around some more

Stoke around all day??? Should be a law against it!

Poker & Gambling Musical Connections No. 3

Thursday, 02 February 2012 14:41

Sit down slowly, eye the dealer in the eye. Toss over the bundle of notes, collect the chips. Remember… Poker face only… Chew on the cigar, zip it from one side of your mouth to the other. Then growl “There’s something missing here…” and slowly rise… The tension becomes unbearable. “What is it senor?” the nervous Mexican asks. “No music!!”. Yep you can have music and gambling if you’ve got enough front! Here goes with ten songs with musical connections to gambling of one sort or another.

1. Deal ‘em again (Christopher Cross)
A 1983 song from American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. His debut album earned him five Grammys. He is perhaps best known for his Top Ten hit songs, "Sailing", "Ride Like the Wind", and "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"

You pick up the cards that they're dealing to you
You can throw down or showdown
The bluff makes a fool out of you
The ante goes up and your luck runs down
It's a strange game It's a damn shame
But somebody's going to lose
It don't matter lose or win
You can deal 'em again
Deal 'em again

2. There's A Place In The World For A Gambler (Dan Fogelberg)
Now sadly deceased, this good guy of music could turn out some damn fine tunes and lyrics. Joe Walsh of the James Gang (and many other bands as well as solo fame) played guitar on the track, which appears on the album Souvenirs.

3. The Stranger’s Song (Leonard Cohen)

Ah you hate to watch another tired man
lay down his hand
like he was giving up the holy game of poker
And while he talks his dreams to sleep
you notice there's a highway
that is curling up like smoke above his shoulder
and suddenly you feel a little older

Lots of references to cards and gambling in this evocative song by miserablist, Leonard Cohen. “Cheer up mate, it may never happen” doesn’t work with him. This clip is of him performing the song live on the excellent 1967 “The Julie Felix Show”. I remember seeing Jimmy Page perform Black Mountain Side on that show when I was 12.

4. Five Card Stud (Ace Frehley of Kiss)
A real Poker name song by a real Poker player about Poker? It seems from the lyrics that Ace knows his stuff. Maybe that’s why he wears make-up, to have a poker face?

Don't try to con me
Let's get it understood
You'll never put one past me
'cause I know every trick in the book
Let's play for double or nothing
If you think you 're so good
Let's go for broke
Afraid you're gonna choke
You got one slim hope
That ain't a 'nuff
Well, you're outta luck
You lost your bottom buck
I hit a royal flush
And I smell blood
I'm the five card stud!

5. I Feel Lucky (Morphine)

Hey let’s head down to Atlantic City and get on that Blackjack tables, as the band says… But it looks like what starts well doesn’t end well- final lyrics are:

now I'm down a little
in fact I'm down a lot
I'm on a rollercoaster ride and I can't stop
my luck has changed, but she'll come back
that's the beauty of a game of chance
I can't lose forever, but I'm doomed to try
I keep on hearing that voice inside
players win, winners play
have a lucky day

6. Shape of My Heart (Sting)
Loads of card references in this song which has been much sampled (including the Sugarbabes). From his lauded album 10 Summoner’s Tales. I wonder if Sting plays Tantric Poker? You play it with other people, but in separate rooms.

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.

7. Lady Double Dealer (Deep Purple)
Recorded for the album Stormbringer, as a time when guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was saving his best riffs for his next project, Rainbow. It’s a rather tired riff, and has David Coverdale going on about being double crossed by a dealer-woman. Like he’s never cheated on a woman?? The video is a curio… Iain Paice playing drums with a band called Odessa, with the (pretty good) vocals being delivered by the keyboardist!

8. Poker Face (Lady Gaga)
Of all the potential poker players, I can’t imagine La Ga Ga would be able to maintain a poker face for more than ten seconds without getting an itch in her pants! "Poker Face" is also the most downloaded song in the British chart history. It is among the best-selling singles of all time, having sold over 9.8 million copies. The accompanying “official” music video for the song portrays Gaga singing it in various costumes and playing strip poker in a getaway villa.

9. Kentucky Gambler (Dolly Parton)
I’ll try to avoid all references about Dolly’s large stash as she sings about gambling man in Kentucky.

But a gambler never seems to stop
Till he loses all he's got
And with a money-hungry fever I played on
I played till I'd lost all I'd won
I was right back where I started from
Then I started wantin' to go home.

Merle Haggard, covered "Kentucky Gambler" where it became his nineteenth number one song on the country chart.

10. Gambler (Madonna)
Despite the promising title, the song itself seems to have little to do with the gaming industry. The lyrics have Madonna asserting her independence and daredevil attitude towards life, to a lover who, according to her, would not be able to understand or put up with her speed. I guess that’s just speed of life, and not speed poker? If Madonna was a card, what would she be? The Knave of Diamonds?

Are we done then? Let’s cash in our chips until next time!

Poker & Gambling Musical Connections No. 2

Wednesday, 01 February 2012 21:35

There's always been a close affinity between music and gambling, probably second only to women, and here's another parade of gambling musical connections, so eyes down for a Full House, and let’s spin the wheel to see where the ball rests…

1. Sin City (AC/DC)
The Aussie rockers wrote a number of great gambling-related songs- this one, a classic, is about going to Las Vegas, with Legs Diamond and others.. and having a blast. So roll those loaded dice- I’m gonna win in Sin City! Yeah. Right.
 

2. Uptown Poker Club (Jerry Reed)
Got to the mid 20’s in the charts in 1974. A fun story of playing cards and spinning a story to get out of debt! Some of the lyrics are a bit obscure, but you get the drift. The genre has been described as “fuzzy country funk”!

3. The Angel and the Gambler (Iron Maiden)
Released in 1998, the video is a sort of Star Wars meets Eddie (Maiden’s ghoulish character) and on the single, the chorus is repeated no less than 22 times. A tad tedious. Bit like continually getting crap cards in Texas Hold ‘em.

4. BlackJack (Ray Charles)
A really great blues song- about a Blackjack addiction “How unlucky can one man be?” Pursuing that elusive 21 and Blackjack, while circling the drain. Very atmospheric, but never mind the lucky break, I keep waiting for the piano break in the song- which never comes!

5. The Card Cheat (The Clash)
An excellent cover version of the Clash song “The Card Cheat” by Smodati. On the original the lead vocals were provided by lead guitarist Mick Jones. The track is on the seminal London Calling album, with the iconic sleeve of Pau Simenon smashing his Fender Precision Bass on stage in the US:

6. The Turn of a Friendly Card (Alan Parsons)
This was the title of an album from Progger Alan Parsons, who was the sound engineer on Pink Floyd’s infamous Dark Side of the Moon album. He was well-known for doing concept albums, including ones about Edgar Allen Poe, robots, and Egyptian Pyramids. The album focuses on gambling, and loosely tells the tale of a middle-aged man who grows restless and takes a chance by going to a casino and betting all he has, only to lose it all. Well that was a bit tragic wasn’t it? I said go for “pair” rather than “impair”.

7. The Dealer (Deep Purple)
A lovely sleazy song by Mark IV Purple with some great soulful singing from David “Cock-Rock” Coverdale, and some superb guitar from Tommy Bolin. All about havin’ to pay the dealer eventually. Yep, credit’s always in short supply at a loser’s table. Try pawning the Missus. Only joking- you did that last week remember?

8. Casino Queen (Wilco)
A nice up tempo country funk song from Wilco, complete with some hick-harmonica and farmboy footstompin’. Hee Har! Released as a single from the album in 1995. It didn’t chart.

9. The Jack (AC/DC)
I make no apologies for having AC/DC a second time here- their original lead singer was a hard drinking, hard gambling, womanising Rock N Role Model, and this song, The Jack, was partly about having a bad card, drugs, but also a dose of Venereal Disease, nicknames the Jack (rather than The Clap). A great bluesy song with Bon Scott being his melodious bad boy crowd-pleasing best.

10. Deal (Grateful Dead)
Been gamblin’ for 10 solid years… yep it’s Gerry Garcia playing country blue-grass and singing about that gamblin’ habit. Nice. But you should have stuck to Snakes & ladders rather than cards. And whatever happened to the 10 minute guitar solo ramblings of the 1970’s.. I almost miss them. Almost. Sadly Gerry succumbed to a weak heart (not helped by his drug addiction) and dies in August 1995. He tapped the table for another deal, but the Ace of Spaces came up…

Poker & Gambling Musical Connections No. 1

Wednesday, 01 February 2012 17:45

Pull up a chair pard'ner, have a glass of Rye, put your stash on the table, and let's play us some! From Poker to Roulette, Craps to Bingo, let's expose those gambling musical connections!
 

1. Ace of Spades (Motorhead)
The infamous Lemmy-penned metalhead anthem that troubled the otherwise sedate UK Charts in 1988. Here is a bizarre cover version of the song from the (Right) Reverend Horton Heath.
 

2. Gambler’s Blues (Ken Stanton Orchestra)
Stan Kenton was born in Wichita, Kansas, and raised first in Colorado and then in California. He learned piano as a child, and while still a teenager toured with various bands. In June 1941 he formed his own band, which developed into one of the best-known West Coast ensembles of the Forties. In the Mid 40's Kenton's Band and style became known as "The Wall of Sound", a tag later used by Phil Spector! His star waned in the 50’s with the coming of rock n roll.
 

3. Gambler (Buzzard)
Some nice intro guitar work from this band… not sure about the album cover though- Michelangelo meets Lemmy in a Craps Parlour??



 

4. House of the Rising Sun (The Animals)
A traditional song adopted and changed a bit by the Animals who had a runaway success with it. The song is about a brothel in New Orleans. "The House Of The Rising Sun" was named after Madame Marianne LeSoleil Levant (which means "Rising Sun" in French) and was open for business from 1862 (occupation by Union troops) until 1874, when it was closed due to complaints by neighbours. It was located at 826-830 St. Louis St. However, the Animals were a bit wary about a song featuring a brothel, and so changed the lyrics a bit to make it seem like it was about gambling “My father was a gambling man…” and thus acceptable to the prudish record-buying public. It’s OK to gamble folks, but to pay for a lady’s company, now that’s going too far ya’all!! Here’s a cover version that you may find interesting… where be me castanets!



 

5. The Beau Brummels
Named after the 19th century gambler Beau Brummell (above). Aside from the reference to the 19th century dandy, the band also knew alphabetically they would be filed right next to the Beatles in the record stores, increasing the visibility of their records! Hey, now that’s sneakier than a fifth Ace!



 

6. Still Rock n Roll to me (Billy Joel)
Beau Brummel, the 19th century dandy and gambler, allegedly took five hours to dress each day and recommended that riding boots be shined with champagne. I use Guinness. He is name checked here in the Billy Joel song "Still Rock And Roll to Me". Check out at 1.33… Brummel inherited and then gambled away a fortune inherited from his father. He fled to France in 1816 to avoid a debtor’s prison. No champagne for your boots there my son



 

7. The Gambler (Kenny Rogers)
The King of Country gives this one his all. Both an album (his sixth) and the title track. Now here’s some real good advice from the lyrics: “ You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away, know when to run. You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table, There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealin's done.”



 

8. Fortune Valley Casino, Central City, Denver, Colorado
Following a $20 million facelift, this huge establishment will have each room named and themed in honour of musicians or bands. Hey! That’s a nice link between gambling and music! The entire property pays homage to the music world with decor that carries themes of various musical genres. Echoing the musical theme is the just-opened Guitar Bar, a 65-foot guitar-shaped bar with 14 slot machines, a state-of-the-art sound system and high-definition TVs. As the brochure says, “It’s the largest guitar-shaped bar in a casino in the world!”. Let’s hope they’ll be playing some of the bands and songs on this list play there!



 

9. Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino
This top of the range gambling establishment is also famous for the quality of the entertainment it provides to its gamblers and guests: B.B. King, Tom Jones and Kenny Rogers are just a few of the bands that have been booked for shows at the Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona, Iowa, USA . But a big name rock band who have played there a number of times, and who they say they have gambled there too, are those laid-back dude Texans, ZZ Top. Were they sharp dressed, I wonder?



 

10. Pinball Wizard (The Who)
I know you’re not supposed to wager on the side when playing Pinball, but hey- who’s watching? Just some deaf dumb and blind kid? If you’re a pinball nut like me, you must visit Las Vegas’ Pinball Hall of Fame. Take it away Mighty Bally King!