Jim’s theme for Song Lyric Sunday this week comes under the broad umbrella of ‘gambling’. A couple of years ago Helen Vahdati set a similar theme, which I responded to with the Grateful Dead’s ‘Loser’. This is another offering from the Dead – a rather more upbeat one, often deployed as a rousing Set 1 closer

Since it cost a lot to win
And even more to lose
You and me bound to spend some time
Wondering what to choose

Goes to show you don’t ever know
Watch each card you play
and play it slow
Wait until that deal come round
Don’t you let that deal go down, no, no

I’ve been gambling here abouts
for ten good solid years
If I told you all that went down
it would burn off both your ears

It goes to show you don’t ever know
Watch each card you play
And play it slow
Wait until that deal come round
Don’t you let that deal go down

Since you poured the wine for me
And tightened up my shoes
I hate to leave you sitting there
Composing lonesome blues

It goes to show you don’t ever know
Watch each card you play
And play it slow

Wait until that deal come round
Don’t you let that deal go down

Written by Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia

Song Lyric Sunday 23 June 2019