The Clash - The Card Cheat

London Calling / 1979-12-14 1. Brand New Cadillac 2. Clampdown 3. Death or Glory 4. Four Horsemen 5. Hateful 6. I'm Not Down 7. Jimmy Jazz 8. Koka Kola 9. London Calling 10. Lost in the Supermarket 11. Lover's Rock 12. Revolution Rock 13. Rudie Can't Fail 14. Spanish Bombs 15. The Card Cheat 16. The Guns Of Brixton 17. The Right Profile 18. Train in Vain 19. Wrong 'Em Boyo

The Card Cheat

(Strummer/Jones)

There's a solitary man crying, "Hold me."
It's only because he's a-lonely
If the keeper of time runs slowly
He won't be alive for long!

If he only had time to tell of all of the things he planned
With a card up his sleeve, what would he achieve?
It means nothing!

From the opium den and the barroom gin
And the Belmont chair playing violins
The gambler's face cracks into a grin
As he lays down the king of spades

But the dealer just stares
There's something wrong here, he thinks
The gambler is seized and forced to his knees
And shot dead

He only wanted more time
Away from the darkest door
But his luck it gave in
As the dawn light crept in
And he lay on the floor

From the Hundred Year War to the Crimea
With the lance and the musket and the Roman spear
To all of the men who have stood with no fear
In the service of the King

Before you met your fate be sure you
Did not forsake your lover
May not be around anymore

(Slower)
There's a solitary man crying, "Hold me."
It's only because he's a-lonely
If the keeper of time runs slowly
He won't be alive for long