The Dealer (Down And Losin')

(album: True Stories And Other Dreams - 1973)

Jack of diamonds, queen of spades
Fingers tremble and the memory fades
And it's a foolish man who tries to bluff the dealer

Jokers laughed and Lady Luck smiled
The aces were high and the deuces were wild
When you're down and losing, everyone's a cheater

You can't win and you can't break even
You can't get out of the game
You shouldn't stay but you ain't leaving
'Cos your luck may change again

Life's a lot like that, my friend
Luck runs out and the winning streak ends
When the deck is stacked you can't trust the dealer
Just when things were going fine
Someone jumped you from behind
When you're down and losing, everyone's a cheater

You got a little more than you bargained for
A little more than you had in mind
You took your chance but
Twenty-one beats nineteen every time

Jack of diamonds, queen of spades
Fingers tremble and the memory fades
And it's a foolish man who tries to bluff the dealer

Jokers laughed and Lady Luck smiled
The aces were high and the deuces were wild
When you're down and losing, everyone's a cheater