Dave Dudley (May 3, 1928 - December 22, 2003) was a country music singer. B… Read Full Bio ↴Dave Dudley (May 3, 1928 - December 22, 2003) was a country music singer. Born David Darwin Pedriska, he is best known for his truck-driving country anthems of the 1960s and '70s.

Dave Dudley is best-known for his trucker songs including "Six Days on the Road" and "Truck Drivin' Son-of-a-Gun". His duet with Tom T. Hall called "Day Drinking" demonstrated that he was not limited to trucking songs. He is one of the best-known singers of the truck-driving era in country music and was one of the icons in this category.

Dave was born in 1928 in Spencer, Wisconsin. He had a short career as a semi-professional baseball player. After he suffered an arm injury he was no longer able to play baseball. He then decided to pursue a career in country music. He was one of the earliest artists to record for National Recording Corporation on the NRC label.

He first appeared on the Country charts in 1961 with the song "Maybe I Do," released by Vee Records. He later moved to Golden Wing Records. Two years later, in 1963, the label released the single "Six Days on the Road". In 1963, Dudley moved on to Mercury records. Dave Dudley continued to have success into the 1970s. He continued to record for Mercury Records.

In the 1980s, Dave Dudley continued to record, but not as much as he once had. He remained popular in concert. In total, Dudley recorded more than 70 albums. However, he did not manage to reclaim his past success, and neither his single "Where's that Truck?", recorded with DJ Charlie Douglas, nor the track "Dave Dudley, American Trucker", recorded in 2002 in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, helped revive his career.

Dudley died on December 22, 2003 after suffering a heart attack at his home in Wisconsin.

The Pool Shark
Dave Dudley Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

He said, "Pardon me for bein' so bold
But you got a cigarette that's already rolled"
I gave him one, he lit it in his own good time
The smoke in that poolroom hung like a fog
When he talked it sounded like a growling dog
He said, "Would you care for a dollar on the five or nine?"

Now this man was ugly and his eyes were mean

His clothes were dirty but his hands were clean
He held that stick like a mother holds the hand of her child
Well, I've been known to hustle a few
When the waitress said, "Was he playing you?"
And I said, "Yeah, bring me brandy water by"

Little Red Parker was way in the back taking quarters and handling racks
And I told him, "Red, come up here, glue 'em up tight
That brandy had me feeling warm, I tipped that waitress
And I checked her form
And I said, "Honey, you like a winner", and she just smiled

I played like a man with a broken wrist, I won two and he won six
And I had him set up so I said, "Let's play for five"
But this time the crowd had gathered round
To see this fish and just watch him drown
I told that waitress, "More brandy water by"

Then he went out and got a custom cue
He said, "It's no offense to you
But I don't play off the wall with nobody but friends"
He had a gold initials in a leather grip pearly and silver inlaid tip
He smiled at me and he said, "Hell-a-way, we play for ten"

Well, I never seen a man that walk who made those balls and table talk
They're speaking English, he sure didn't need my help
He broke the ball and kept that string
For a hundred and eighty seven bucks and a ring
Till I gave up and said, "Friend, you're gonna have to play by yourself"

Well, he racked it up and walked outside
And I strolled out just to watch him ride
And there was a blond in their caddy built like the rest of that car
The boys in the poolroom they had 'em a laugh
And I hung it up and just let it pass
And had nothin' but my elbows to put on the bar

And the waitress smiled said, "Water by?"
I took the charity and thanked her polite
And sittin' there sippin' and suddenly I had me a thought
Unlucky gambler and lucky in love

Guess you know what I was thinking of
When I said waitress, "Honey, what time you get off?"

Overall Meaning

The Pool Shark by Dave Dudley is a classic country song that tells the story of a hustler who gets hustled. The song takes place in a pool room where the singer meets a man who asks for a cigarette and then challenges him to a game of pool. The two start playing for small sums of money, but the stakes get higher as the man becomes more confident and skilled. The singer realizes too late that he's been hustled when the man wins a large sum of money and leaves with a beautiful woman in a caddy. The song is a cautionary tale about getting involved in games of chance with strangers who may not be who they seem.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the pool room, with its smoky atmosphere and colorful characters like the waitress and Little Red Parker. The singer is portrayed as someone who is street-smart but not quite smart enough to beat the pool shark. The shark, on the other hand, is described as ugly and mean but also skilled and confident. The music of the song is upbeat and lively, with a twangy guitar and a driving beat that brings to mind the sound of a pool game in progress.

Overall, The Pool Shark is a well-crafted country song that tells a compelling story in a few short verses. It's a testament to Dave Dudley's skill as a songwriter and storyteller and remains a popular song among fans of classic country music.

Line by Line Meaning

He said, "Pardon me for bein' so bold But you got a cigarette that's already rolled"
The man, while introducing himself, asked for a cigarette that he noticed was already rolled.

I gave him one, he lit it in his own good time The smoke in that poolroom hung like a fog
The man lit the cigarette once he was ready, and due to the high degree of smoking in the poolroom, it was almost impossible to find a clear path.

When he talked it sounded like a growling dog He said, "Would you care for a dollar on the five or nine?"
The man's rough voice made him sound like a growling dog, and he offered to make a bet on a particular game.

Now this man was ugly and his eyes were mean His clothes were dirty but his hands were clean He held that stick like a mother holds the hand of her child
Although the man was unattractive and his eyes showed angst, his hands were clean, and he knew how to handle the stick as well as a mother taking care of her child.

Well, I've been known to hustle a few When the waitress said, "Was he playing you?" And I said, "Yeah, bring me brandy water by"
The singer is known to hustle others, and the waitress asked if he was being played. The singer then asked for a drink.

Little Red Parker was way in the back taking quarters and handling racks And I told him, "Red, come up here, glue 'em up tight That brandy had me feeling warm, I tipped that waitress And I checked her form And I said, "Honey, you like a winner", and she just smiled
The musician calls Red Parker to handle the tables, and consuming brandy has made him feel warm. He tipped the waitress and commented on her beauty, causing her to smile.

I played like a man with a broken wrist, I won two and he won six And I had him set up so I said, "Let's play for five" But this time the crowd had gathered round To see this fish and just watch him drown I told that waitress, "More brandy water by"
The singer won two games just like he would as if he had a broken wrist, but the other man already won 6 games. He thinks he has a chance and calls for a bet of $5. The audience gathers around to watch the man who would lose the game. He, the singer, also calls for more Brandy water.

Then he went out and got a custom cue He said, "It's no offense to you But I don't play off the wall with nobody but friends" He had a gold initials in a leather grip pearly and silver inlaid tip He smiled at me and he said, "Hell-a-way, we play for ten"
The man buys a custom pool cue, stating that he only plays with friends and not strangers. He shows off his swanky cue, with gold initials and a pearly silver inlaid tip. The Man smiles slyly and bets $10.

Well, I never seen a man that walk who made those balls and table talk They're speaking English, he sure didn't need my help He broke the ball and kept that string For a hundred and eighty-seven bucks and a ring Till I gave up and said, "Friend, you're gonna have to play by yourself"
The singer is amazed to see the opponent's skill in handling the balls and making the pool table seem like it's talking. The opponent is doing it like a pro without need of any major assistance. The opponent keeps up with winning, eventually earning themselves $187 and a ring. The singer admits defeat and tells the opponent to play by themselves.

Well, he racked it up and walked outside And I strolled out just to watch him ride And there was a blond in their caddy built like the rest of that car The boys in the poolroom they had 'em a laugh And I hung it up and just let it pass And had nothin' but my elbows to put on the bar
The opponent gives the table a quick tidy and leaves; the singer strolls to see him off. The opponent has a blonde friend with a luxurious caddy, causing the people in the poolroom to have a good time with them. The singer hangs his head low and goes to rest on a nearby bar.

And the waitress smiled said, "Water by?" I took the charity and thanked her polite And sittin' there sippin' and suddenly I had me a thought Unlucky gambler and lucky in love Guess you know what I was thinking of When I said waitress, "Honey, what time you get off?"
The waitress offers him a glass of water, which he takes with gratitude, and while sipping, he starts having romantic thoughts. He points out he is unlucky when it comes to gambling but that he is fortunately lucky in love. In the end, he asks the waitress at what time she normally gets off her shift.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRADLEY NOWELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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