Great song and reaction! You totally understand the meaning of this song. Did you catch the part where the Gambler dies? "And somewhere in the darkness, the Gambler he broke even, but in his final words, I found an Ace that I can keep"....
This is a good song to put on for kids to get LAUNDRY ....DONE AND CLEAN AND OUT OF LOVE. AND I USE TO HATE WHEN LEARING CARD GAMES.''''''.CARD LAID IS A CARD PLAYED.
I've always been torn on that interpretation on the one hand symbolically it fits nicely but on the confines of the story it doesn't make sense, could it have occurred yes but id have liked a little more foreshadowing that he wasn't well before I readily accepted that interpretation. I prefer the idea that the gambler gave good value for the whisky and cigarette and fell asleep leaving the confines of the story, thus "final words", but when the train gets where its going he'll wake up and go about his business as though the conversation never happened. Never looked into Kenny's interpretation this is just the one i came up with and decided I'd on as a teenager.
@@tyshibley plenty of foreshadowing in the story. Based on his language, the gambler is much older and probably lead a hard life, given that he still has to bum a cigarette and a drink. So you have a tired old man that’s just hoping to die in his sleep. He doesn’t have to be sick, although he could be, but to “break even“ in the story makes no other sense than he came to his end.
My favorite of the metaphors in this song has always been “every hands a winner, and every hands a loser” because A.) every hand we are dealt in life has the potential to be good or bad depending on how we play that hand with the choices we make and because B.) later in the song when he says “the gambler he broke even” he’s telling us that with worldly possessions the “game” of life ends with us all breaking even anyway, so we shouldn’t focus on those worldly possessions.
You nailed it. Of importance in the first verse - where the gambler said he could read the narrator's face and could tell he was "out of aces". While you don't know the narrator's story, you can tell that he understood the gambler's message and you have to assume he took it to heart.
This song is supposed to make the listener think. The main thing I get out of it is to never celebrate too early in life. Make totally sure everything is as it seems, and there will be time to celebrate once everything is completed.
1. You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them"....PICK YOUR BATTLES....2. Know when to walk away, know when to run.....Know when you need to avoid a bad situation you see coming (before or during an argument) and know when to leave immediately (leave or break up depending on context)....3. you never count your money when you're sitting at the table, there'll be time enough for counting when the dealings done....Never stop to bask in your own glory and pat own back/toot your own horn, there will be time for all that when you retire and can look back at it all in perspective. Thats what I got out of the chorus personally when I was a kid and heard this first time ever and ever since. Was good to hear your interpretation too.
The Narrator is on a train to no where, drinking almost the whole bottle of whiskey and the Gambler said he was out of Aces so likely depressed or in a hole. "You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done" Those lines sound like - Don't get stuck in despair, you have the rest of your life ahead of you. At the end, the Narrator say found an Ace in the gamblers final words, which implies he was going to move forward with his life. The Gambler's first line is "Son, I've made a life out of..." So he is reminiscing about his life. And then the final line of the chorus he says to only count your cards when the dealing is done, so the end of your life. Maybe he knew it was his time. Maybe being able to help the Narrator one final time is what allowed him to break even. The lyrics are great because they can be interpreted in many ways.
I love me some Kenny Rogers 🎶 I grew up listing to him with my dad on the 1970s HIFI cabinet stereo record player … I miss my dad 💔😔 but listening to Kenny Rogers 🎶reminds me of good memories good country music with my dad 🥰R.I.P. DAD💙 🙏🏽R.I.P. Kenny your music lives on !!!! 🎶music is life 🎶
They also made this into a movie.Youd enjoy watching it.Its like the experiences that come in your life.Take your knowledge and apply that to get the best outcome as new things come along.
Love country. Walked into my first class at Highschool one day, listening to country off my phone. No headphones, just open sound. Everyone Boo me out of the room. A minute later, I came back in with a speaker. Playing my music louder. They boo louder because of it. We had a good laugh about it later that day.
You totally got the meaning of the song. Sometimes if you do something that's over your head it's a bad decision and you have to know when to fold your cards and not go through with that decision. And just like you finding and marrying your beautiful wife you know when to hold them. I never count your money or your chickens until everything is done. But you totally got the meaning, and it's different for everybody of course.
I absolutely love your interpretation of the lyrics! I have actually never thought of it like that! I am happy you are checking out a wide range of country, the old and the new! Love watching your reactions!
This song has always reminded me of my dad. Including dying in his sleep. He told me a lot of these concepts as I was growing up. Most of them I didn't begin to understand until I was in my 30's.
When I was 8 years old, I had this song on a 45 vynale record. All I wanted for Christmas that year was a record player so I could listen to it. I have always loved Kenny Rogers
Once again you've brought the meaning out beautifully. Thank you. He did fab job in the tv series of same name. Love the dog! Nana Karen. UK Enjoy your day. X
Absolutely! Love your analogy too. The song applies to so many scenarios. Relationships early on- know when to walk away and know when to run not looking back- Later, thinking a person has it all- all the fine things in life but dont count your money at the table- dont get arrogant or feel invincible because there are good times and bad. Later when an old grandpa in your rocking chair dit back and look at all the valuable times and moment in ones life and there is the gold- the riches. But it can be applied to a job/career situation to. Climbing that ladder and knowing when to make what move… i like how you see it. Thanks for doing Kenny Rogers.
Love Kenny Rodgers ! Should react to him and Dolly Islands in the stream. Also, his Music Man sing. He wrote it after a conversation with Jessi Colter about her husband Waylon Jennings. Speaking of Waylon check out I’ve always been crazy, Good hearted woman, or any other Waylon song. Waylon was part of the country super group The Highwaymen.
It's so American.I love It.I find these songs have an "every day of life" vibe to It.The rythm may be repetitive sometimes,not meaning any disrespect, but still,I 'd like to be able to go to a live performance somewhere in the South of the USA.🍻🎸
In the 70s and early 80s me and my daddy would listen to this all of the time and sing it in his truck at the top of our lungs when he died a few years ago I seeing it at his bedside and for a moment he smiled
Kenny started out in jazz. The gambler is also a movie staring him. He made more then one movie. The character he played in the gambler is Brady hawks.
"Every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser" can also refer to a person's pov. Because in every game of poker, there is one winning hand and the rest are losing hands depending on what each player holds (and even a losing hand can become a winning hand if the person holding it is good at bluffing and can make the other players at the table believe that it's a good hand).
Kenny has a song called Coward of the county. The story in it is so good they made it into a movie. Lionel Richie wrote a song for Kenny called Lady. It's beautiful ☮️
Good days and bad days are unavoidable. The decisions you make before and after these days, can determine how good or bad those days will be. Is my opinion of Kenny Roger's- THE gambler
Sebs, you were made for country music…lol! Sorry it took you so long to get here, but glad you’re here now!!! I heard today that there’s an old saying that I think is true “There’s only two genres of music, good and bad”!
There are made for tv movies for both the Kenny Rogers songs you've reacted to. Both are titled the same as the songs. The quality is older and not what we are used to but still good stories, just like the songs. :)
One lesson I have learned from hearing this song for YEARS, - while the scenarios and results may not be in my control, my decisions, or my indecision, is what determines my actions. I can't use "they made me do it ..." or "I had no other choice ...". There is always a decision to an action. You simply decided the other choices weren't as worth the choice you decided on. Decide, accept the results, and prepare for what's next.
You HAVE TO check out Chris performance with Justin Timberlake, “Tennessee Whiskey/Drink You Away” at the CMA 2015. That performance really put Chris on the map and on the stage with them is also of course Chris wife.
Basically, pick your battles and don't let anyone know what your next move is. ("Don't count your money at the table" so people don't know what you have. )
Definitely a must. Kenny Rogers is pretty much Dolly Parton's bff the two go hand in hand. Love this sooooo much!!! Mind you I'm 33 respect. This is some of the best!
Home Free did a nice cover of this as a tribute to Kenny after he passed. He had called them and asked them to record Children Go Where I Send Thee on a Christmas album so of course they were thrilled to work with the legend.
Kenny is awesome & has a ton of great music. This specific song & character inspired a couple TV movies, where he starred as a gambler, looking exactly like this video. And I agree with your analysis of the message in this one. For a beautiful love song, check out 'Lady', which was written by Lionel Richie of the 'Commadores' (Lionel ended up recording it a couple years later, as well). TH-cam has the version of when Kenny performed it for the first time in 1980, & then again in 2012 in Las Vegas at a CMT awards show, where Lionel was being honored. Kenny calls Lionel up on stage & they do it together & witnessing the love & friendship between them is just a beautiful thing to see. Ironically, Lionel ended up doing a tribute to Kenny after he passed a few years later. I hope you & Aki get time to see both versions. Young 'studly' Kenny & then the elderly senior who sounds exactly the same, exuding pure joy, singing with Lionel.
Have heard this song many times and never got the underlying message until now before the song was even over. Life is what you make it, take life as it comes, and with all things considered, said and done, all you could ever hope for, no matter the hands you’ve been dealt, to leave this world in a painless way.
I know you get a lot of comments and requests and not sure you'll see this one but if you want to hear some "from the heart" "I've lived it" pure country Sammy Kershaw's "Better Then I Used To Be" is a classic. Thanks for sharing your journey. Being from Tennessee I"m spoiled nd have heard sang and listened to my family sing it ll my life. Enjoy the journey and welcome home.
Great song and reaction! You totally understand the meaning of this song. Did you catch the part where the Gambler dies? "And somewhere in the darkness, the Gambler he broke even, but in his final words, I found an Ace that I can keep"....
yep, he dies in his sleep, just like he wanted
This is a good song to put on for kids to get LAUNDRY ....DONE AND CLEAN AND OUT OF LOVE. AND I USE TO HATE WHEN LEARING CARD GAMES.''''''.CARD LAID IS A CARD PLAYED.
I've always been torn on that interpretation on the one hand symbolically it fits nicely but on the confines of the story it doesn't make sense, could it have occurred yes but id have liked a little more foreshadowing that he wasn't well before I readily accepted that interpretation. I prefer the idea that the gambler gave good value for the whisky and cigarette and fell asleep leaving the confines of the story, thus "final words", but when the train gets where its going he'll wake up and go about his business as though the conversation never happened. Never looked into Kenny's interpretation this is just the one i came up with and decided I'd on as a teenager.
@@tyshibley plenty of foreshadowing in the story. Based on his language, the gambler is much older and probably lead a hard life, given that he still has to bum a cigarette and a drink.
So you have a tired old man that’s just hoping to die in his sleep. He doesn’t have to be sick, although he could be, but to “break even“ in the story makes no other sense than he came to his end.
@@tyshibley you don't get a back story from a person you just met. His final words were his final words.
This is one of those great songs that transcends all genres, Everyone loves this song... it's timeless and never ends...a metaphor for life itself.
The Bible talks of being sober minded…this song reminds me of this. Pay attention, know when to walk…when to run. Count your blessings…
You couldn't get away from this song on the radio. It was a huge crossover hit, along with "Lady".
Did you know that "Lady" was written by Lionel Richie
@@HappyDayCC yes I did. 😁
My favorite of the metaphors in this song has always been “every hands a winner, and every hands a loser” because A.) every hand we are dealt in life has the potential to be good or bad depending on how we play that hand with the choices we make and because B.) later in the song when he says “the gambler he broke even” he’s telling us that with worldly possessions the “game” of life ends with us all breaking even anyway, so we shouldn’t focus on those worldly possessions.
"WOOOW" a nice take away i'd never seen it like that previously, Thanks!!
@@UtopiaBlue68 thank you for such a nice comment!
@@reneebush2399 You're Very Welcome , Have a very pleasant evening or day where ever you are in this big, wide beautiful world, Cheer's from Oz!!
@@UtopiaBlue68 cheers to you too from VA!
@@reneebush2399 😃😃
You nailed it. Of importance in the first verse - where the gambler said he could read the narrator's face and could tell he was "out of aces". While you don't know the narrator's story, you can tell that he understood the gambler's message and you have to assume he took it to heart.
Great reaction. This song is to help you to do your best - don't let failure hold you down , knowing your limits and keep on going.
Home Free covered a song with Kenny and it was fantastic. "Children Go Where I Send Thee" They also did a cover of this song.
This song is supposed to make the listener think. The main thing I get out of it is to never celebrate too early in life. Make totally sure everything is as it seems, and there will be time to celebrate once everything is completed.
Sebs you are a born country fan, you just never knew it! You nailed it. ♥️
1. You got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them"....PICK YOUR BATTLES....2. Know when to walk away, know when to run.....Know when you need to avoid a bad situation you see coming (before or during an argument) and know when to leave immediately (leave or break up depending on context)....3. you never count your money when you're sitting at the table, there'll be time enough for counting when the dealings done....Never stop to bask in your own glory and pat own back/toot your own horn, there will be time for all that when you retire and can look back at it all in perspective. Thats what I got out of the chorus personally when I was a kid and heard this first time ever and ever since. Was good to hear your interpretation too.
The Narrator is on a train to no where, drinking almost the whole bottle of whiskey and the Gambler said he was out of Aces so likely depressed or in a hole.
"You never count your money when you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin' when the dealing's done"
Those lines sound like - Don't get stuck in despair, you have the rest of your life ahead of you. At the end, the Narrator say found an Ace in the gamblers final words, which implies he was going to move forward with his life.
The Gambler's first line is "Son, I've made a life out of..." So he is reminiscing about his life. And then the final line of the chorus he says to only count your cards when the dealing is done, so the end of your life. Maybe he knew it was his time. Maybe being able to help the Narrator one final time is what allowed him to break even.
The lyrics are great because they can be interpreted in many ways.
It's refreshing how accurately you read between the lines
I love me some Kenny Rogers 🎶 I grew up listing to him with my dad on the 1970s HIFI cabinet stereo record player …
I miss my dad 💔😔
but listening to Kenny Rogers 🎶reminds me of good memories good country music with my dad 🥰R.I.P. DAD💙
🙏🏽R.I.P. Kenny your music lives on !!!!
🎶music is life 🎶
His first hit "Ruby" is still my favorite from the 60's. Such a sad war song. Peace from Northern Michigan!
Actually Ruby was not his first if you considered that he was with the First Editon long before he did Ruby.
And Ruby is a cover. It dates from the Korean War. But his version came out after Vietnam.
This and Desperado by the Eagles are my two favorite story teller songs out there
They also made this into a movie.Youd enjoy watching it.Its like the experiences that come in your life.Take your knowledge and apply that to get the best outcome as new things come along.
Coward of the county his my favorite of his
This song was chosen to be included in the national registry of the Library of Congress for its cultural significance.
This song is such a classic. True Kenny Rogers. And your right, his voice is so smooth
Kenny is a legend….❤
Love country.
Walked into my first class at Highschool one day, listening to country off my phone. No headphones, just open sound. Everyone Boo me out of the room. A minute later, I came back in with a speaker. Playing my music louder. They boo louder because of it. We had a good laugh about it later that day.
You totally got the meaning of the song. Sometimes if you do something that's over your head it's a bad decision and you have to know when to fold your cards and not go through with that decision. And just like you finding and marrying your beautiful wife you know when to hold them. I never count your money or your chickens until everything is done. But you totally got the meaning, and it's different for everybody of course.
Kenny Rogers is the best story ever 🙂
I absolutely love your interpretation of the lyrics! I have actually never thought of it like that! I am happy you are checking out a wide range of country, the old and the new! Love watching your reactions!
You got the meaning of the song instantly. Great life lesson from the legend Kenny Rogers.
No matter what life hands you win or lose you come away stronger when you know what to keep and until life ends you won't fully understand its value.
this whole song is a metaphore for living your life
Kenny Rogers is one of the best
This song has always reminded me of my dad. Including dying in his sleep. He told me a lot of these concepts as I was growing up. Most of them I didn't begin to understand until I was in my 30's.
One of the greatest CW entertainers of all time. Great analogy and reaction ❤️
You are so great of really grasping the metaphor and meaning of the song.
This is one of the best things I like about country music is no sudlimenl messages the message is out there in the song it's in the storytelling
When I was 8 years old, I had this song on a 45 vynale record. All I wanted for Christmas that year was a record player so I could listen to it. I have always loved Kenny Rogers
Did you get the record player?
@@sandyhafenbrack141, yes and the first record I played was Kenny Rogers, The Gambler. I had that record player for several years
@@michellewalters7097 I'm glad you got your record player.
Awww puppy❤❤❤
Once again you've brought the meaning out beautifully. Thank you. He did fab job in the tv series of same name. Love the dog! Nana Karen. UK Enjoy your day. X
Every time I hear this song I cry!
This song became so popular they created a movie around it.
The also made a movie around Coward of the County.
actually I believe it was 3 movies based on the Gambler. He is a good actor also, I live his movie wild horses but it is hard to find.
Great analogy of the song....
Love your content. God bless you and your family
We need for ya to here “Lady” live by Kenny!!!
The lyrics unfold so naturally. About life.
Absolutely! Love your analogy too. The song applies to so many scenarios. Relationships early on- know when to walk away and know when to run not looking back- Later, thinking a person has it all- all the fine things in life but dont count your money at the table- dont get arrogant or feel invincible because there are good times and bad. Later when an old grandpa in your rocking chair dit back and look at all the valuable times and moment in ones life and there is the gold- the riches. But it can be applied to a job/career situation to. Climbing that ladder and knowing when to make what move… i like how you see it. Thanks for doing Kenny Rogers.
Exactly it's about life and how you deal with it 😊.It's one of my favorite Kenny Rogers songs he is one of my favorite singers.😊
Classic song that my whole generation knows and loves. Grew up with this man's music and he's one of our great storytellers RIP Kenny 💙💜❤
You should check out Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, when Kenny was a rocker. He was excellent in everything he sang. I love his ballads.
Metaphor for life. perfect
Kenny was great in person too. Saw him at his young age of 68ish.
Love Kenny Rodgers ! Should react to him and Dolly Islands in the stream. Also, his Music Man sing. He wrote it after a conversation with Jessi Colter about her husband Waylon Jennings. Speaking of Waylon check out I’ve always been crazy, Good hearted woman, or any other Waylon song. Waylon was part of the country super group The Highwaymen.
This has always been my absolute favorite song
It's so American.I love It.I find these songs have an "every day of life" vibe to It.The rythm may be repetitive sometimes,not meaning any disrespect, but still,I 'd like to be able to go to a live performance somewhere in the South of the USA.🍻🎸
this song is for the movie he was in called "The Gambler"
RIP to Kenny. Great song!
Great Reaction......
Kenny made "Coward of the County" and "The Gambler" into Made for TV Movies...... Gambler had 2 or 3 sequels......
Real country is storytelling like this classic
Good life advice
Great music knows no genre, Kenny was great!
In the 70s and early 80s me and my daddy would listen to this all of the time and sing it in his truck at the top of our lungs when he died a few years ago I seeing it at his bedside and for a moment he smiled
Kenny started out in jazz. The gambler is also a movie staring him. He made more then one movie. The character he played in the gambler is Brady hawks.
"Every hand's a winner and every hand's a loser" can also refer to a person's pov. Because in every game of poker, there is one winning hand and the rest are losing hands depending on what each player holds (and even a losing hand can become a winning hand if the person holding it is good at bluffing and can make the other players at the table believe that it's a good hand).
Arguably the best known chorus in country music.
Kenny has a song called Coward of the county. The story in it is so good they made it into a movie. Lionel Richie wrote a song for Kenny called Lady. It's beautiful ☮️
Oh yeah I don’t know if you know that he’s already reacted to coward of the county
I can remember the series of made-for-tv movies they made based off The Gambler.
I hated country till my mid 20's then a friend said how can you not love country...your life is a country song been a huge fan since
Great reaction. You and your wife should do Kenny Rogers The Greatest...very CUTE song
Yes!!!!!
HEY!
Love the Kenny Rogers. Good ol' country and good clean fun.
Thank you good sir!
There's a live performance of Kenny signing "Lady" that you'll love. It likely describes how you feel about Ali.
Country always has a story!!!!
Good days and bad days are unavoidable. The decisions you make before and after these days, can determine how good or bad those days will be. Is my opinion of Kenny Roger's- THE gambler
I hate most country music, but every genre has its gold stars ✨
This is one of them!
An a cappella group called Home Free does a great cover of this.
Pineapple Ang!!!😂😂😂😂
Sebs, you were made for country music…lol! Sorry it took you so long to get here, but glad you’re here now!!!
I heard today that there’s an old saying that I think is true
“There’s only two genres of music, good and bad”!
Some fantastic life advice
You need to listen to his “You picked a fine time to leave me Lucille”. His gritty voice is unmistakable. Awesomeness !!
This song is one of those rare gems that you can listen to a 100 times and get a 100 different messages from
Home Free made a cover of this as a tribute to Kenny, you should listen to it, it is awsome!
My second favorite Kenny Rogers song!!!!
There are made for tv movies for both the Kenny Rogers songs you've reacted to. Both are titled the same as the songs. The quality is older and not what we are used to but still good stories, just like the songs. :)
One lesson I have learned from hearing this song for YEARS, - while the scenarios and results may not be in my control, my decisions, or my indecision, is what determines my actions. I can't use "they made me do it ..." or "I had no other choice ...". There is always a decision to an action. You simply decided the other choices weren't as worth the choice you decided on. Decide, accept the results, and prepare for what's next.
"People Are Crazy" Billy Carrington
You HAVE TO check out Chris performance with Justin Timberlake, “Tennessee Whiskey/Drink You Away” at the CMA 2015. That performance really put Chris on the map and on the stage with them is also of course Chris wife.
Basically, pick your battles and don't let anyone know what your next move is. ("Don't count your money at the table" so people don't know what you have. )
It's so wonderful to watch you grow up with music.
Definitely a must. Kenny Rogers is pretty much Dolly Parton's bff the two go hand in hand. Love this sooooo much!!! Mind you I'm 33 respect. This is some of the best!
💙💙💙
Serbs, you hit the nail directly square on it’s head! ( thank you for your scriptural interpretation ).😊
This song was turned into a movie starring Kenny
Home Free did a nice cover of this as a tribute to Kenny after he passed. He had called them and asked them to record Children Go Where I Send Thee on a Christmas album so of course they were thrilled to work with the legend.
And what a collaboration that was! Loved it.
Kenny is awesome & has a ton of great music. This specific song & character inspired a couple TV movies, where he starred as a gambler, looking exactly like this video. And I agree with your analysis of the message in this one. For a beautiful love song, check out 'Lady', which was written by Lionel Richie of the 'Commadores' (Lionel ended up recording it a couple years later, as well). TH-cam has the version of when Kenny performed it for the first time in 1980, & then again in 2012 in Las Vegas at a CMT awards show, where Lionel was being honored. Kenny calls Lionel up on stage & they do it together & witnessing the love & friendship between them is just a beautiful thing to see. Ironically, Lionel ended up doing a tribute to Kenny after he passed a few years later. I hope you & Aki get time to see both versions. Young 'studly' Kenny & then the elderly senior who sounds exactly the same, exuding pure joy, singing with Lionel.
The Gambler is also a film. The 1980 version starts Kenny Roger's. You might like the film.
Have heard this song many times and never got the underlying message until now before the song was even over. Life is what you make it, take life as it comes, and with all things considered, said and done, all you could ever hope for, no matter the hands you’ve been dealt, to leave this world in a painless way.
Nothin but golden advice on how to approach life in general...awesome song. Put this together with "Simple Man", and ur set.
Hold ‘em: fight
Fold ‘em: peaceful surrender
Walk away: get out while you still can
Run: violent surrender
They even made a movie about this song.
George Jones choices, it's heart touching
They actually made a tv series about this song.
I know you get a lot of comments and requests and not sure you'll see this one but if you want to hear some "from the heart" "I've lived it" pure country Sammy Kershaw's "Better Then I Used To Be" is a classic. Thanks for sharing your journey. Being from Tennessee I"m spoiled nd have heard sang and listened to my family sing it ll my life. Enjoy the journey and welcome home.
Make sure you do "Lady". Lionel Ritchie wrote it for him. Do the concert video. All the catcalls he gets!!😄😄😄😄😄😄
Kenny Rogers was a superbly talented storyteller. Knowing when to walk away is so important