Dear Listener:
Since my Dad taught us kids to play "Knock poker" when I was about nine years old, I've appreciated more and more how life and poker often mirror each other. When you take action in life, you are betting -- sometimes on yourself, sometimes on another person. There's times when you call other people's bluffs, times when you raise the stakes in one of your endeavors, and of course, times when you fold and live to join the fray on another day.
I've played guitar and sung since the age of eleven, but not so much in recent years. I've tried consciously to write songs in the past, but never have I been able to finish one.
In January 2005, I decided to start playing no-limit Texas Hold'em poker on a full time basis, and since my play was not up to the level required for producing a living, I created a poker regimen for myself -- four hours a day of study in any book I could get at the local library on the subject, and eight to twelve hours a day playing online. No caffeine or alcohol. To say I was saturated by it would be an understatement, but that's always been my way. My poker play had improved to the extent that by mid-February 2005, I decided to bite the bullet and make a deposit at an online poker room -- and that's when my poker education really began!
Anyway, one day shortly thereafter, when I had been experiencing some of the proverbial "beginner's luck" for several days, the first couple of lines of this song just popped into my head. I picked up the tablet I had been keeping poker notes on, flipped to a clean page and wrote down the first two lines, so as not to forget them, and didn't quit writing until I basically had this song written. Over the next few days, I re-worked the cadence a bit and changed a phrase here and there, but this is basically the original song that just came pouring out that day -- a song about poker...and the game of life. I hope you enjoy it.
Steve
Lyrics -- The Rounder (We're All-In)
Well, life is a Gamble and you never know just what you might get,
You lead out with Aces and some Joker's always Raising your Bet.
You only get a good Pocket when you're down to a Chip and a Chair,
And if you Raise 'em up easy, the whole table's takin' your dare.
Chorus:
We're all-in!
Yeah, everything is down on the line.
We're all-in!
We'll make it or break it this time.
When I first met you baby, your green eyes were fire and ice,
It was love at first sight; you didn't have to wink at me twice.
Now after all the Bad Beats, you still believe I'm gonna get 'em next time,
You've been my Ace in the Hole - together, we'll Bet down the line.
Chorus:
We're all-in!
Yeah, everything is down on the line.
We're all-in!
We'll make it or break it this time.
Chorus extended:
You're my Queen, I'm your King, and we raised three Aces up in our Set,
Our House was once Full, and we're still tryin' to pay off the debt.
A Spade is a Spade, so we might as well be joining the Club,
I never gave you a Diamond, and worse, darlin', here comes the rub -
I'm a perennial loser, I think you knew that right from the start,
I never gave you no Diamond, but I always gave you all of my Heart.
Chorus:
We're all-in!
Yeah, everything is down on the line.
We're all-in!
And I swear, I'm gonna make it this time!
Chorus extended:
I'm tellin' you Straight, I'll be Flush and they won't Come From Behind,
But I still need you here with me 'cuz I'm fixin' to Re-raise The Blind.
Repeat Chorus and Fade
Lyrics and music copyright 2005 Steve Peterson
Music and Lyrics Registered: B.M.I.
