The House Always Wins

Marlena James – Vocals Maynard Brooks – Lead Guitars Benny Wilson – Sax/Keys Junior Taylor – Bass Rodney "Sticks" Davis - Drums Jimmy "Sprocket" Raines - Guitars Ceiling fan turning slow overhead Stale tobacco hanging in the room He's counting out bills under a ten-watt bulb Thinking his luck's got to change soon Across the felt sits a pale-faced man Shufflin' cards with a dealer's grace He's wore that same coat since eighteen-oh-nine There ain't no expression on his face The chips stack high on the worn out felt A cold river draft creeps across the floor He’s betting everything on the turn of the tide Unaware of what's in store Pour another drink, lay another card down Watch the dealer bleed him dry Smoke hangs heavy in the dirty air As he swore, “Just one more try” You can't bluff the devil, but you can curse your luck You can pray for the light when the darkness begins But the cards don't lie and the devil don't care You know what they say, the house always wins The gambler pulls off a ring, slides his granddaddy's watch Begging the dealer with a desperate breath The dealer just nods and with a slow, heavy hand Flips a pair of eights like a whispered death A river card lands he feels it in his chest His heartbeat quickened as he stood He glances around at the dark velvet walls And at the pictures framed in wood The clock strikes two on the dusty shelf Like bells tolling for the dead He sees a frame with no picture inside As the dealer nods his head The air turns cold and the room grows quiet His shadow fades against the wall He’s staring down at a dead man’s hand He'd finally won it all You can't bluff the devil, but you can curse your luck You can pray for the light when the darkness begins But the cards don't lie and the devil don't care You know what they say, the house always wins The dealer stood and bowed Then he walked across the floor He'd played long enough He didn't want to play no more He turned and tipped his hat And with a coldness you could feel He said, “I'm finished playin', son, Now it's your turn to deal” The gambler looked down at his hand Then slowly raised his eyes The empty frame now held his face It read nineteen-seventy-five Now the gambler takes the dealer's seat His picture hangs on the wall He wears no expression on his face As a new gambler says, “I call” He couldn't bluff the devil, he thought he had the luck Now he prays for light, but the darkness settled in He knows the cards don't lie and the devil don't care He'll never forget, the house always wins