"Gambler's Ruin"* NOT an original. Words by Jonathan Potter! (another Substack Collaboration.)
I thought it was a poem by Jonathon, but it was a song. He graciously allowed me to add (1) line of my own, so I could create a bridge, set up the chorus, & the turn-around. Swoosh!
*©2023 Words by Jonathan Potter. Music by Sea. All Rights Reserved.
Again, words by , Sea’s addition’s are italicized.
I gambled and lost, I learned the hard way it only takes one toss of the dice to lose your way. I rambled and roamed, I could not find my way, I wagered my home and lost what I could not pay. The cards were dealt through the smoky haze, I learned to count them like I count my days. Sometimes you love life, sometimes you mock it, but the gambler's ruin is an empty pocket and mine's as empty as they come. I gambled for honey, for sugar, spice, and gold, for paper money, for the one I could not hold. I gambled and saw a vision of my soul go up in flame like straw, the ashes dark and cold. The cards were dealt through the smoky haze, I learned to count them like I count my days. Sometimes you make love, sometimes you mock it, but the gambler's ruin is an empty pocket ... and mines as empty as they come. I fell down and cried. My tears overflowed from somewhere deep inside the jackpot of my soul. That's when you found me and reached out your hand. The mystery I could not understand. The cards were dealt through the smoky haze, I learned to count them like I count my days. Sometimes you love life, sometimes you knock it, but the gambler's ruin is an empty pocket but now I've pockets lined with gold, yes now I've pockets lined with gold, now I've pockets lined with gold.
I’ll Let Jonathon tell the story:
is an amazing musician who has, for over a year now, been posting an original song every week here on Substack. At some point during our occasional chats, I mentioned that I’d like to hear what he could do with one of the rough-cut songs I occasionally post here among my poems. I was thrilled when he agreed to consider my song, Gambler’s Ruin.Sea took my lyrics and — with my blessing — gave them new life, a new tune, and a couple of excellent add-ons of his own, brought in the accomplished and versatile Kevin Scanlon for drums, bass guitar, banjo, mixing, and mastering, invoked the ghosts of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, and came up with something astonishingly damn fine.
Sea… great vocal. This really fits your voice. Wish I could sing like that! Total Hank and Johnny vibe. There’s a fine line between imitating (which sucks) and honoring… and you landed this absolutely honorably!
It’s a sure thing when you combine the musical and poetic artistry of Sea and Jonathan Potter!