If you take a look at music throughout the years, you’ll see that most big hits are about love. But did you know there are also songs about gambling? Whether the subject is the thrill of winning or the pain of losing, there are songs for your inner gambler.
So next time you’re duking it out at an online casino like gclub, try to listen to these tunes. Who knows, it might give you some luck!
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers
The first song in this list is so obviously about gambling that the word is in the title. Dating from 1978, this is one of the more well-known hits of the famous singer. It gives some good advice about the proper way to approach gambling, with lines like “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em.” It sounds like a winning strategy for poker.
When You’re Hot, You’re Hot by Jerry Reed
This song might not be easily recognizable, but Jerry Reed was a massive country legend back in 1971. This particular novelty song was an instant hit, staying at No. 1 on the charts for five straight weeks and No. 9 at the Pop Top 40. It even won Reed a Grammy.
The song is a good depiction of the highs and lows of a gambler’s life.
It tells a pretty funny story about the singer’s experience playing Craps illegally. He was on a winning streak until the cops bust on him (this is referenced in the lyrics “When You’re Hot, You’re Hot. When You’re Not, You’re Not!” Fortunately, the judge is an old friend who he owes money to, and so he gets 90 days in jail.
Shape of my Heart by Sting
This song by Sting is about a poker player with a unique perspective. Instead of playing to win, he’s in it to know the game and to understand it. The lyrics reference this: “He doesn’t play for the money he wins. He doesn’t play for respect. He deals the cards to find the answer, The sacred geometry of chance.”
That’s a deep meaning for a song if you ask me.
Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley
You know a song is going to contain gambling references when it has “Las Vegas” in its title. It’s the unofficial theme song of the city.
The song mentions every casino game imaginable, from poker to one-armed bandits (what they used to call slot machines). It also describes in vivid detail the Vegas nightlife, with all of its glitz, glamor, and girls.
Desperado by the Eagles
Most know this song from the cover made famous by Linda Ronstadt, but it was an Eagles original. It was one of the biggest hits from their 1973 album, also named Desperado.
While not directly about gambling, the song has poker references like “don’t you draw the queen of diamonds, boy, she’ll beat you if she’s able.”
The song tells the story of a lonesome bandit who’s suffering from his solitude.
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