Craig Herbertson : vocals and guitar. Guntmar Feuerstein: guitar, Michael Poelchau: fiddle Marc Decker: bodhran
Ace of Clubs
Craig Herbertson Lyrics
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Upon the Persian rugs
Carousers take their stand
Fine whiskey in their hands
The rakes are in the halls
The dugs are in t' the yards
As Fortune's lost and won
Haloo the horse and hounds
The fox and cubs
The gamblers and the rakes
The sporting bloods
Adieu the decks o cards
The dice and dugs
Adieu my luves
And on yer grave
The Ace of clubs
The Earl o Carrick's son
Has penniless become
The whisper's in the hall
Prestonfield must fa
Up Sir William stands
The deck is in his hands
'I stake my house and lands
Upon a single card! '
The portraits on the wall
The ghosties in the hall
The ancestors appalled
Prestonfield will fa
The nobles and the lords,
Auld reekies big and sma
The baronets a craw
Prestonfield will fa
The count picks up the cards
'The word of peers is law
Should I tup your card
Prestonfield will fall'
And with a deadly grin
He cuts the King of Spades
And as Sir William prays
He draws the Ace Of Clubs
Farewell the rakes and bloods
The whooring and the chase
My drinking days are gone
My gambling nights erased
I'll idle in the grounds
Mak follies in the yards
And never will again
Touch a pack o cards
The lyrics to Craig Herbertson's Ace of Clubs tell the story of the downfall of the Earl of Carrick's son, and the gambling that takes place at a prestigious gathering. The setting is intimate and luxurious - beneath chandeliers and Persian rugs, carousers stand with fine whiskey in their hands. The gamblers are split into two groups, the "rakes" who are located in the elegant halls, and the "dugs" who are situated in the yards, staking their fortunes on the deck of cards. As the Earl's son's fortune is lost, so are the fortunes of those around him, as they gamble and bet on the outcome of the cards.
The lyrics then introduce the character of Sir William, who rises to play his hand and bets his house and lands on a single card. The tension builds as the story leads up to the crucial moment where the fate of all is decided - the Count cuts the King of Spades with a deadly smile, ultimately leading to the downfall of Prestonfield. The final verses see the singer bidding farewell to the life of decadence and excess, opting to lead a quieter existence in the grounds and yards, never again to touch a pack of cards.
Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of gambling and the high price one can pay for succumbing to its lure. The lyrics are carefully crafted to build drama and tension, hooking the listener's attention and drawing them into the story.
Line by Line Meaning
Beneath the chandeliers
In a lavish setting
Upon the Persian rugs
In a luxurious setting
Carousers take their stand
People gather to party
Fine whiskey in their hands
Alcohol is present and being consumed
The rakes are in the halls
The morally corrupt people are present
The dugs are in t' the yards
The dogs are outside
As Fortune's lost and won
The outcome is uncertain
Upon a deck o cards
The game being played
Haloo the horse and hounds
Celebration of the hunt
The fox and cubs
Focus on animals hunted
The gamblers and the rakes
Different types of participants
The sporting bloods
People enjoying the game
Adieu the decks o cards
Goodbye to gambling
The dice and dugs
Goodbye to games of chance
Adieu my luves
Farewell to those who enjoyed it
And on yer grave
It's over forever
The Ace of clubs
Symbolic of a final card being played
The Earl o Carrick's son
The noble's child
Has penniless become
Lost all his money
The whisper's in the hall
The gossip circulating
Prestonfield must fa
The estate is in danger of falling apart
Up Sir William stands
A man ready to take risks
The deck is in his hands
About to play the game
'I stake my house and lands
Willing to risk everything
Upon a single card! '
Believing in his luck
The portraits on the wall
Watcher by ancestral figures
The ghosties in the hall
Haunted by spirits
The ancestors appalled
Ashamed of what's happening
Prestonfield will fa
The estate is in danger of being lost forever
The nobles and the lords,
The higher class of the society
Auld reekies big and sma
The old city and its people
The baronets a craw
The lesser aristocracy
The count picks up the cards
The game continues
'The word of peers is law
Respect for the power structure
Should I tup your card
Already cheating
Prestonfield will fall'
The estate is too far gone
And with a deadly grin
Doing what it takes to win
He cuts the King of Spades
Cheating to ensure victory
And as Sir William prays
The moment of truth has arrived
He draws the Ace Of Clubs
The winning hand
Farewell the rakes and bloods
The end of the unsavory group
The whooring and the chase
The end of wild partying
My drinking days are gone
Alcohol no longer rules
My gambling nights erased
No more risky behavior
I'll idle in the grounds
Enjoy a quieter life
Mak follies in the yards
Entertain on a smaller scale
And never will again
Committed to a new way of life
Touch a pack o cards
Done with gambling forever
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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