The - Gambler

Written by Don Schlitz and popularized by Kenny Rogers , this country classic uses poker as a universal metaphor for life.

: Set in the fictional German spa town of "Roulettenburg," it follows Alexei Ivanovich, a young tutor who becomes obsessed with gambling to win the favor of his employer’s stepdaughter, Polina. The Gambler

: On a train "bound for nowhere," a seasoned gambler offers life lessons to the narrator in exchange for a drink and a cigarette. Written by Don Schlitz and popularized by Kenny

: The chorus—"You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em"—suggests that survival depends on knowing what to keep and what to walk away from. " it follows Alexei Ivanovich