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Queen Of Spades Lyrics

Day into night she's with me
How sweet is her warm embrace
Safe in the scent of jasmine
So safe in her gold and lace

Mornings I find, she's left me
So cold so alone, but aware
I try to escape, she finds me
Oh run though I may, she's there, there, there, there, there...

Luck is a lady whose smile is as cold as a stone
She'll bring you things, many things you might never have known
But when your die is cast she'll have the final laugh at you
She'll lock you in a duel, where you come out the fool

Beware of the Queen of Spades
Her black widow's curse might find you yet
Beware of a love that you will regret
Her love means only your death

Day into night she's with me
Turn of a card, she's there
The first time is free, you know
But from now on, pay me, me, me, me, me...

Beware of the Queen of Spades
Her black widow's curse might find you yet
Beware of a love that you will regret
Her love means only your death
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Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

It's about gambling I believe. Great imagery since the Queen of Spades is not your run of the mill poker card-- she's death in both hearts and murder (a poker variation), and of course, a woman, so a lover analogy (enhanced by the "Luck Be a Lady"/Guys and Dolls and black widow spider, which eat their male mates) fits nicely as well.
The chorus sounds a little like Queen-- do you think it's possible this is a tongue-in-cheek homage to them? The two bands were very similar in ways.

IT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH!\r\n\r\nIT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH! She got screwed over by this lying snake loser Tommy Shaw! He got the idea from the song and movie “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers and also the song “Desperado” by The Eagles with the line Queen of Spades. Both Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton the members of the Eagles including Dennis DeYoung and James Young and Lawrence Gawan were involved in slandering Cuppy Smith!...

It was also inspired by Billy Joel\\'s song "Big Shot"(1978) in which Billy Joel was also involved along with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton the members of the Eagles including Dennis DeYoung and James Young and Lawrence Gawan were involved in slandering Cuppy Smith!

It was also inspired by Billy Joel\'s song "Big Shot"(1978) in which Billy Joel was also involved along with Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton the members of the Eagles including Dennis DeYoung and James Young and Lawrence Gawan were involved in slandering Cuppy Smith!

Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

you forgot about the part right before the last chorus where he says "hahahahaha! You lose!"

definately one of styx's best songs, and the best off of the peices of 8 album.

@Achory IT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH!

@Achory IT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH! SHE GOT SCREWED OVER BY THIS LYING SNAKE LOSER TOMMY SHAW! HE GOT THE IDEA FROM THE SONG AND MOVIE THE GAMBLER BY KENNY ROGERS AND ALSO THE SONG DESPERADO BY THE EAGLES WITH THE LINE QUEEN OF SPADES. BOTH KENNY ROGERS AND Dolly Parton THE MEMBERS OF THE EAGLES INCLUDING DENNIS DEYOUNG AND JAMES YOUNG AND LAWRENCE GAWAN WERE INVOLVED IN SLANDERING CUPPY SMITH!\r\n\r\nPOOR CUPPY SMITH NEVER STOOD A CHANCE! POOR QUEEN OF SPADES NEVER STOOD A CHANCE! CUPPY SMITH...

@Achory IT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH! SHE GOT SCREWED OVER BY THIS LYING SNAKE LOSER TOMMY SHAW! HE GOT THE IDEA FROM THE SONG AND MOVIE "THE GAMBLER"(1978) BY KENNY ROGERS AND ALSO THE SONG "DESPERADO" BY THE EAGLES WITH THE LINE QUEEN OF SPADES. BOTH KENNY ROGERS AND Dolly Parton THE MEMBERS OF THE EAGLES INCLUDING DENNIS DEYOUNG AND JAMES YOUNG AND LAWRENCE GAWAN WERE INVOLVED IN SLANDERING CUPPY SMITH!\r\n\r\nPOOR CUPPY SMITH NEVER STOOD A CHANCE! POOR QUEEN OF SPADES NEVER STOOD A CHANCE! CUPPY SMITH...

Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

Most certainly about gambling. Awesome song.

@sconnors95 \r\nNO, IT IS NOT ABOUT GAMBLING!\r\nTHE SONG QUEEN OF SPADES IS ACTUALLY ABOUT CUPPY SMITH, TOMMY SHAW\'S FIRST WIFE. POOR CUPPY SMITH! POOR QUEEN OF SPADES! THEY NEVER HAD A CHANCE AGAINST THE SLANDER AND THE LIES BY TOMMY, DENNIS, JAMES, AND LAWRENCE! THEY GOT SCREWED BY THOSE FOUR LYING BASTARDS WHO ARE THE KING OF SPADES WHERE HIS LOVE ONLY MEANS YOUR DEATH! YOU LOSE! I WIN BY LYING! THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS!\r\nThe song Queen of Spades is a slanderous, lying insult to Cuppy Smith, Tommy Shaw\'s first wife(in the same way Big Shot was by Billy...

@sconnors95 \r\nNO, IT IS NOT ABOUT GAMBLING!\r\nTHE SONG QUEEN OF SPADES IS ACTUALLY ABOUT CUPPY SMITH, TOMMY SHAW\'S FIRST WIFE. POOR CUPPY SMITH! POOR QUEEN OF SPADES! THEY NEVER HAD A CHANCE AGAINST THE SLANDER AND THE LIES BY TOMMY, DENNIS, JAMES, AND LAWRENCE! THEY GOT SCREWED BY THOSE FOUR LYING BASTARDS WHO ARE THE KING OF SPADES WHERE HIS LOVE ONLY MEANS YOUR DEATH! YOU LOSE! I WIN BY LYING! THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS!\r\nThe song Queen of Spades is a slanderous, lying insult to Cuppy Smith, Tommy Shaw\'s first wife(in the same way Big Shot was by Billy...

POOR QUEEN OF SPADES! THE QUEEN OF SPADES HATES GAMBLING! Dennis DeYoung and Lawrence Gowan are male sexist chauvinist jerks and idiots. Why did they not use King of Spades instead? Putting down females in a song, eh? Are you guys The Rolling Stones?\r\nFirst of all, these two idiots need to learn that the Queen of Spades is actually a card that looks like medieval art that didn\'t have linear perspective. Next, I have five stacks of cards that I play at home and I hate gambling and I never gambled or went to a gambling casino in my life....

Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

Pieces of Eight was my first rock record. Prior to that, I listened to a lot of outlaw country, cuz that's what my dad liked. There was a David Allen Coe song that used to scared me (I was 3 or 4 yrs old), and Queen of Spades was the next song to induce the same fear in me. It was the dramatic power--quite a heavy trip to lay on a toddler! LOL!

Anyway, I used to take it somewhat literally, almost like a stalker, though I had no concept of such things back then. I imagined, quite literally, a guy in some sort of magical desert or something, who just could not get away from this woman he once loved, but who now wanted to kill him.

Metaphorically speaking, that's pretty apt for any kind of dependence, including a gambling addiction. It's less of a literal stalker than a feeling, a thrill, a rush, a high, that you simply refuse to see is killing you, until you're halfway to death and enslaved.

Anyway, I agree--great song, great album, even if I am often a bit biased toward many of my first albums.

@maddpsyintyst IT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH!nIT SHOULD BE CALLED THE KING OF SPADES, WHICH IS TOMMY SHAW LYING ABOUT HIS WIFE CUPPY SMITH! \r\nShe got screwed over by this lying snake loser Tommy Shaw! He got the idea from the song and movie “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers and also the song “Desperado” by The Eagles with the line Queen of Spades. Both Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton the members of the Eagles including Dennis DeYoung and James Young and Lawrence Gawan were involved in slandering Cuppy...

Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

"The Queen of Spades" refers to Black Tar Heroin.

In the song, he talks about how it makes him feel when he takes it at night, but in the morning the high is gone, and he hits depression; then he tries to escape the addiction, but he's hooked.

Then the song goes on to talk about how there's no way to win if you use it.

"First time is free, from now on pay me" refers to how drug-pushers will give a free sample of addictive drugs, knowing that their victims will be back for more.

Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

JYs solo in this tune is one of his best.

Cover art for Queen Of Spades lyrics by Styx

The best song from the Pieces Of Eight album.