"The Gambler" is sung by Roger in three stanzas after Francine is taken by Frog Rose for debts incurred while playing poker against her kids in an attempt to hide her thoughts from them in "The Pink Sphinx Holds Her Hearts on the Turn". To pay back the debt, she is to be forced to work at Rose's illegal gambling casino for eternity as her children set out to save her.
Roger, in his persona as 'The Gambler', claims his story was stolen by Kenny Rogers for his song as the tune is set to the same melody.
Lyrics[]
Stanza 1[]
- On a humid, swampy evening
- In a swamp boat bound for Swampville
- The pink sphinx was a' taken
- To where, she could not ask
- 'Cause she died inside her mind
- To try to hide her tells
- And what was once a poker face, is now a death mask
Stanza 2[]
- Well the swamp witch had old Francine
- And there was no one who could stop her
- Then along came her penitent kids
- And a handsome man named me
Stanza 3[]
- Well, you better know your mother
- When you're teasin' her on game night
- Know when to bother her
- Know when's enough
- And you should count your money
- On one of those fast and accurate counting machines
- Kenny Rogers is a liar
- Sometimes a cliff's a bluff
- That's the take, that's the one.