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The Card Cheat Lyrics
There's a solitary man crying, "Hold me."
It's only because he's a-lonely
If the keeper of time runs slowly
He won't be alive for long!
If he only had time to tell of all of the things he planned
With a card up his sleeve, what would he achieve?
It means nothing!
To the opium den and the barroom gin
In the Belmont chair playing violins
The gambler's face cracks into a grin
As he lays down the king of spades
But the dealer just stares
There's something wrong here, he thinks
The gambler is seized and forced to his knees
And shot dead
He only wanted more time
Away from the darkest door
But his luck it gave in
As the dawn light crept in
And he lay on the floor
From the Hundred Year War to the Crimea
With a lance and a musket and a Roman spear
To all of the men who have stood with no fear
In the service of the King
Before you met your fate be sure you
Did not forsake your lover
May not be around anymore
It's only because he's a-lonely
If the keeper of time runs slowly
He won't be alive for long!
With a card up his sleeve, what would he achieve?
It means nothing!
In the Belmont chair playing violins
The gambler's face cracks into a grin
As he lays down the king of spades
There's something wrong here, he thinks
The gambler is seized and forced to his knees
And shot dead
Away from the darkest door
But his luck it gave in
As the dawn light crept in
And he lay on the floor
With a lance and a musket and a Roman spear
To all of the men who have stood with no fear
In the service of the King
Did not forsake your lover
May not be around anymore
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This is one of my favorites from London Calling. And I believe it is a Mick tune. I've always loved the line "from the Hundred Years War to the Crimea, with the lance, and the musket, and the Roman Spear". I think this refers to people being the same and doing the same things (making the same mistakes) no matter what time they lived in.
the song is kinda cheesy, especially the royal horn section.
But i still love it, even though it's a bit far-fetched. Paralleling gambling with a Monarchy? Okay, i get it - people look for things to enslave themselves. I especially like the verse: <i>If he only had time to tell of all of the things he planned With a card up his sleeve, what would he achieve? It means nothing!</i> Such a common Strummer theme - people doing things that they think will help them, when they're really doing a disservice to themselves. So, he ties in the lesson: <i>Before you met your fate be sure you Did not forsake your lover May not be around anymore</i> ...be thankful for what you have. Cheating at cards may get you fast cash, but you'll learn nothing about yourself. If you love what you have, you'll never even think about get-rich-quick schemes. climbs off soapbox
This is a standout track, not a throw away.
I think sgt. pepper is half right, what it is imo is a man who decides to cheat in a big game of cards to win money. but when the dealer discovers his cheating, he is shot dead. What Jones and Strummer then do is extrapolate that to all those lost their lives in wars which were, in their opinion, pointless.
Always enjoyed this song. Now I see why. Thanks Skelet0r.
Always enjoyed this song. Now I see why. Thanks Skelet0r.
I love this song, I don't know how it could be called a throwaway. It's my favourite off the album !
Ditto...was always my favourite track save for the title track intro.
It's an allegory to the fall of the British Empire
i will comment! ha. i love the part where he's all. ahem. '...your loverrrrrr, may not be arrrrouuundndddd, anymore!' haha. thank you, thank you.
very nice. This song just sounds really good, like nio one else could do it
you call this a throwaway track? this is definitely one of my favorites from the album.