14:30
22 Sep
Poker and the life of the gambler has always held a mystical appeal to singers and music artists, the game allowing for the ups and downs of life's crazy adventures to be metaphorically represented. Today we have a list of the top 5 ‘Best Poker Songs of all time' for you – read'em and weep!
A playlist featuring Seeb, Martin Solveig, Eric Prydz, and others. Listen to Poker Music now. Listen to Poker Music in full in the Spotify app. Play on Spotify. Huh, you might be onto something here. My first hand after putting this in: Full Tilt Poker Game #9: $5 + $0.50 Tournament (92242458), Table 2 - 200/400 Ante 50 - No Limit Hold'em - 21:37:54 ET - 2009/05/22.
5. Lady Gaga /Poker Face
For some, myself definitely included, Lady Gaga's nonsense barely passes as music or lyrics worth the paper they are written on, but for millions it became the song of the year.
Classic lines such as 'Cause I'm bluffing with my muffin, I'm not lying I'm just stunning with my love glue gunnin' may well have some poker reference hidden deep inside, but it's hard to tell for sure because her ‘muffin' pretty much gets in the way of everything she does.
- We recommend you to check other playlists or our favorite music charts. If you enjoyed listening to this one, maybe you will like: 1. 80s Pop Music Hits Play.
- Jan 06, 2014 Let's consider what poker songs have made their way into our culture, through films, television shows, and the mass-market music industry. Listed below is our all-time poker songlist. Did we miss something? 1) Let's start with a classic song, 'The Gambler', written by Don Schlitz and recorded by American country music artist Kenny Rogers.
Nevetheless, her attempts at a poker-themed song did at least have some elements of the game in it, but part of me can't help wishing all the chambers were full when she sang: ‘Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun, And baby when it's love, if it's not rough it isn't fun, fun.'
4. Ray Charles/Losing Hand
Charles was an amazing character, and his song ‘Losing Hand' does a pretty good job of using every clichéd poker phrase and metaphor in the book – not bad for a 4-verse tune with plenty of repetition.
‘I thought I'd be your king baby, yes and you could be my queen, But you used me for your joker cause I thought you're deal was clean', may just sum up about half the relationships of my own life – but it pales in comparison to the soul singer's own love life – twice married and father to 12 children by nine different mothers!
So, it's quite clear his own experience lies within the lines: ‘I gambled on your love baby and got a losing hand, Your ways keep changing like the shifting desert sand', though not changing as much as his women of course.
3. Elvis Presley/Viva Las Vegas
‘Bright light city gonna set my soul, Gonna set my soul on fire, Got a whole lot of money that's ready to burn, So get those stakes up higher,' sings the legendary Elvis - and he's not wrong!
A touch of the Vegas lifestyle is on pretty much every bucket list from here to Timbuktu, and the ‘King of Rock'n'Roll' caught the mood perfectly with his hip-swaying classic which has seen a hundred covers since it appeared in the movie of the same name.
‘Oh, there's blackjack and poker and the roulette wheel, A fortune won and lost on ev'ry deal, All you need's a strong heart and a nerve of steel,' sings our man, and without spoiling the ending of a 53-year old film for you, racing driver Elvis may just have won enough at the tables to buy that new car he so desperately wanted.
2. Kenny Rogers/The Gambler
It's one of the best-known poker songs ever written and sung by a legend of the country music scene, Kenny Rogers, whose chorus of ‘You've got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away, Know when to run,' has become a poker player's mantra ever since.
With over 50 years in the music business it might even come as surprise that ‘The Gambler' is still his favourite song, perhaps due to the 5 movies it spawned, and honoured by Rogers titling his farewell tour ‘The Gambler's Last Deal'.
The bearded legend has obviously played the game, as the lines, 'Cause every hand's a winner, And every hand's a loser, And the best that you can hope for, Is to die in your sleep', show - probably as true as any poker lyric ever written.
1. Motorhead/Ace of Spades
Though many would have Rogers' ballad as number one in any list such as this, as an old punk and sometime metalhead there can be only one true poker song - the incredible bass intro jumping into my head every time the card appears on the felt – the Ace of Spades, by Motorhead.
The hedonistic approach of the old-school heavy metal band is evident in the very first version: ‘If you like to gamble, I tell you I'm your man, You win some, lose some, it's all the same to me…The Ace Of Spades!'
Though frontman Lemmy has sadly departed, the song is unlikely to ever disappear from the classic lists, the aces and eights of the final verse - which is claimed to have been the hand Wild Bill Hickock held as he was shot dead - sure to resonate for as long as poker itself is played: ‘Pushing up the ante, I know you got to see me, Read 'em and weep, the dead man's hand again'.
How to Build a Perfect Casino Party Playlist
As a mobile DJ, you are always being bombarded with special requests and tasked with coming up with the 'perfect' mix for whatever theme the host has in mind for the evening. 'Great' DJs earn that title in reviews and recommendations more on their ability to make the music fit the occasion than for the size of their hard drive.
One of the fastest growing themes for parties is 'the casino night.' The theme is by no means new, but it has been growing over the past few years for both private parties and corporate events. The reasons for this growth are fairly simple; more casinos have opened in the US and casino specials are a staple on The Travel Channel and other networks. The internet has also played a major part in the growth of casino themed parties. Casino games are one of fastest growing video game segments. This includes social network games and apps. Even the long established online poker site PokerStars has expanded to meet the demand in this area.
Casino games are perfect for social interaction; the players in many games form a bond due to the fact that the table often wins or loses as a whole. This dynamic is especially evident at the craps table, which is easily the most boisterous of any game in the casino when a shooter is on a hot streak. This makes casino themed parties the perfect vehicle to insure the guests are entertained and have an easy way to break the ice.
It is almost a prerequisite that a casino party has a DJ, and how you contribute to the evening can make a big difference to your reputation.
Too often, DJs for a casino theme party simply put together a list of 'standards' including the old 'Rat Pack' songs, Elvis tracks, and any song with the word 'luck,' 'Vegas,' 'money,' or any casino games in the title.
Just because a song has a 'gambling' word doesn't make it a good choice.
Casinos are the ultimate fantasy and escape. Even someone that has never set foot in a real casino has an idea of what they are like. For a casino themed party to be successful, the event has to have a lot of energy and reflect the casino image. This is as much the job of the DJ as it is the game dealers.
Starters
Game of luck. You will likely set up an hour or so before the games and the party officially begins. Unless the host has a pre-gaming activity, like an awards presentation, consider putting together a very simple playlist that sets the mood. Ambient or up-tempo jazz works well. The Ultra-lounge discs are great for this as are artists like Art of Noise. Just start the list and walk away.
Songs and Genres
As hackneyed as it appears, you really can't go wrong with Viva Las Vegas right as the games begin, and whether you use the Elvis or ZZ Top version is a matter of personal taste. However, bear in mind the Elvis version works even for parties where most of those attending weren't even born when Elvis was king. It's just that the lyrics sum up the Las Vegas experience really well.
Clean Music Playlist
'How I wish that there were more / Than the twenty-four hours in the day / Cos even if there were forty more I wouldn't sleep a minute away / Oh, there's black jack and poker and the roulette wheel / A fortune won and lost on every deal / All you need's a strong heart and a nerve of steel / Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas.'
If you use the Elvis version, follow-up with The Elvis vs JLX version of A Little Less Conversation. This gives sets a modern tone and signals that you aren't going to play the same old 'Vegas' songs.
Dance and pop favorites are a must. The pop and dance superstars are staples of Vegas entertainment, so you can include all of them. It's even ok to include Lady GaGa's Poker Face, even though it's not about poker. Britney Spears, Pussycat Dolls, and Rihanna all work well. Don't be afraid to mix some of the old school artists like the B-52s, and Talking Heads.
The Vegas club scene is dominated by EDM. Mixing in Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris, Tiesto, and possibly Skrillex can work well.
The key is to remember you are setting a mood.
There are some 'gambling' songs that do work that you might want to include in your playlist:
Winner Takes All – Abba Money, Money, Money – Abba Vegas – Clubstophobia Let's Go to Vegas – Faith Hill Rambling Gambling Man – Bob Seger Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry Sin City – AC/DC Money Don't Matter Tonight – Prince Poker- Electric Light Orchestra Ooh Las Vegas – Emmy Lou Harris That was a Crazy Game of Poker – OAR Luck be a Lady – Frank Sinatra (This one is easy to remix) Superstitious – Stevie Wonder (Stevie Ray Vaughan works too)
Filed Under: Playlists, Songs & Music ChartsBest Gambling Music
