Go Down Gamblin'
Blood Sweat And Tears Lyrics
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Raised on brew and poker and a dollar here and there
Black-jack hand dealer man you better payoff that last debt
Two bit hand a twenty one that's all I ever get
Go down gamblin'
Say it when you're running low
Go down gamblin'
Down in a crap game I've been losing at roulette
Cards are bound to break me but I ain't busted yet
'Cause I've been called a natural lover by that lady over there
Honey, I'm just a natural gambler but I try to do my share
Go down gamblin'
Say it when you're running low
Go down gamblin'
You may never have to go, no
Go down gamblin'
Say it when you're running low
Go down gamblin'
You may never have to go, no, no, no
The song "Go Down Gamblin'" by Blood, Sweat, and Tears speaks of the singer's love of gambling and how he has always been a natural gambler. The first verse introduces him as a natural loser, a product of his upbringing in an environment of beer and poker where the stakes are never high. He refers to himself as a blackjack hand dealer, with debts that he can barely afford to pay off. The chorus of the song encourages the listener to go down gambling when they are running low, implying that it is a way to escape from one's problems, and perhaps even to make a living.
The second verse speaks of the singer's experience in a game of roulette and the inevitable loss that accompanies the game. He finds some comfort in being called a natural lover by a lady, but he considers himself more of a natural gambler, always looking for the next opportunity to take a chance. The overall message of the song seems to be that life is a gamble, and we should all take risks and live boldly.
Interestingly, the song was written by two members of the group who were not the lead singers but played trumpet and guitar respectively. David Clayton-Thomas, the lead singer at the time, took over the vocals for this song as he was considered the best fit for the lyrics. It was released in 1971 and became one of the band's biggest hits, peaking at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has since become a staple of classic rock radio and has been covered by several other artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Born a natural loser I can't recall just where
I have always been unlucky and cannot remember a time when I was not.
Raised on brew and poker and a dollar here and there
I was brought up around alcohol, gambling, and small amounts of money.
Black-jack hand dealer man you better payoff that last debt
Dealer, you need to pay off the debt you owe me for losing in blackjack.
Two bit hand a twenty one that's all I ever get
I only ever win small amounts, like twenty-one cents or so.
Go down gamblin'
Keep gambling despite the risks.
Say it when you're running low
Encourage yourself to gamble more when your resources are depleted.
You may never have to go, no
If you continue gambling, you may never have to face having nothing at all.
Down in a crap game I've been losing at roulette
I have been on a losing streak while playing craps, and now I am losing at roulette.
Cards are bound to break me but I ain't busted yet
It is likely that I will lose, but I have not yet completely depleted my resources.
'Cause I've been called a natural lover by that lady over there
That lady over there called me a lover, but I am actually just inclined to gambling.
Honey, I'm just a natural gambler but I try to do my share
I am a natural when it comes to gambling, but I do my best to distribute my resources fairly.
You may never have to go, no, no, no
By continuing to gamble, you may never have to face going broke.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS, FRED LIPSIUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ursamajor7468
Listened at a volume loud enough to shake your bones is surrendering to the majesty and the raw raunchy power of this piece. F#%king love this song.
@lrh1966
Thanks for listening and have a great day from Lloyd.
@snausage22
met Lew Soloff , trumpet , years ago,,,great player ! and a mentch !! R.I.P
@lrh1966
Thanks for giving it a listen Jason and have a great day from Lloyd.
@SteveMartinezArt
In '71 I thought I was a bad ass trumpet player. Then, BST hit the airwaves. I was still bad ass, but knew I had more searching to do. Thanks for the great memories.
@lrh1966
Thank you Steve for checking it out and you have some awesome art videos on your channel. Friends, Lloyd.
@gerhardbaut8312
Steve Martinez me to amigo, and I'm 65 now. PRO sculptor, semi retired. Got a Martin Comittee, Vincent Bach Strad, and a Reynolds Emperor Cornet and a Conn French horn. For my amusement solely. Play every day Fratello. It will change you life. DaddyG
@carvinblack
Admit it, when you were drunk once you blew a fart through the trumpet?
@arthurbaughman4377
Lou Sollof
@stefan1252
Came back again. Bloody hell, this is a mind-blower of a song. My dad used to play it on vinyl back in the 70s/80s......