There’s always been a relationship between the game of poker and the music industry. Something about the game, and the settings and venues with which it’s associated, has just always seemed to appeal to songwriters — from Frank Sinatra, to heavy metal icons, to modern pop stars and rappers. Sometimes it just seems to be the inherent drama of a poker game that appeals to a musician. Sometimes a song is written in an attempt to capture the spirit of Las Vegas, or high-stakes gambling venues in general. And sometimes the game merely serves as a useful metaphor.
Whatever the case, there have actually been quite a few iconic and wonderful songs over the years that either directly or indirectly involve poker. One could make a list of dozens that fit this description. In this post though, we’re going to focus on some of the best of the best, and rank our top five….
- “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is one of the busier pop stars in the music world. A few years ago she leapt off the stage and onto the silver screen to star in the Oscar-contending remake of A Star Is Born. Last year, her sixth studio release, Chromatica, made our list of ‘The Best Pop Albums & EPs of 2020’. And in January, she sang the national anthem at the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden! Her star quality knows no bounds or limits.
And yet, despite the fact that Lady Gaga seems to wow us in new ways with each passing year, “Poker Face” is the first thing most fans think of when they consider her career. For that reason alone, it has to rank as the best song about poker — despite the fact that it’s not really about poker. It’s virtually inarguable that this song, through its title and chorus, has gotten more people singing along and thinking about poker than any other.
- “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers is an absolute legend of the country genre. And when he passed away in 2020, “The Gambler” was among the first accomplishments noted in most of the articles and obituaries. CNet.com even included “famous for ‘The Gambler’” in its headline. This is by no means to shrink Rogers’s titanic legacy down to a single track. But just as “Poker Face” defines Lady Gaga’s career in a certain way, this pleasant, iconic track is just about synonymous with its creator. That gives it some serious clout in this sort of ranking — as does the fact that “you gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em” is perhaps the most well-known lyric about poker in all of music.
- “Huck’s Tune” by Bob Dylan
“Huck’s Tune” is actually a fairly recent addition to Bob Dylan’s decades-spanning songbook — written for the 2007 film Lucky You. This film was a poker drama set in Las Vegas that despite a strong cast featuring Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, and Robert Duvall, wound up being something of a flop. But Dylan’s contribution is a delight, both for fans of the one-of-a-kind songwriter and for those who like a good poker tune.
What’s particularly great about this selection is that out of context, it can almost be looked at as classic Dylan. It’s a narrative unto itself — nostalgic, romantic, mysterious, and introspective. And yet when listened to in the context of a poker film, lines like “the game’s gotten old, the deck’s gone cold” are clear references to the game itself. It is in effect a gambler’s song that can change shapes as needed.
- “That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker” by O.A.R.
O.A.R.’s “That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker” is probably the most fun selection on the list. Much of the song is essentially the (oddly cheerful) lament of a man who’s “lost it all” in a crazy game of poker. The song is also amusing in its accuracy. Portions of the lyrics describe the narrator drawing a full house and still losing — to a royal flush. For those not intimately familiar with the game of poker itself, the hand rankings and probabilities listed on Poker.org state that the chances of landing these two hands are 0.17% and 0.000154% respectively. So, yes — this would be a pretty “crazy game” of poker!
- “Poker Face’ by Ghostface Killah
It seems only fitting to close out with another song called “Poker Face,” this time by Ghostface Killah. The artist is best known for his time in Wu-Tang Clan, and that background is vaguely evident in this song. A few years ago, LiveAbout.com ranked Wu-Tang Clan as the greatest rap group in history on the grounds of its “chaotic cohesion,” and there is in fact a certain similar quality to this song.
That’s not to say it’s a particularly terrific song, by Ghostface Killah or Wu-Tang standards. But it is one of the few songs we know of that is pretty much entirely about poker. The song is an energetic, detailed ode to the game, and for that reason it has to make the list!
