Dead Man’s Hand

[Verse 1]
Deadwood, South Dakota has one claim to fame
Overturned table, a deadly card game
You better believe it when your chips are down
Take it or leave it or get it out of town

[Verse 2]
Drew a nine of diamonds and an eight of spades
Let yourself be fooled by a pair of black aces
Your hand on the bottle so you did not hear her
Your eye on the table instead of the mirror

[Chorus]
Dead man's hand, prayin' all bejesus
Hat in your hand, this whole life is fleetin'
But your old grin's as wide as the whole Rio Grande
Kept all your winnin's in an old coffee can
One step ahead of the revenue man
One card short of a dead man's hand

[Verse 3]
Got an ex-wife livin' in Deadwood now
Wish I could tell her I'm sorry about
Bein' too young and bein' on the run
And bein' in a game where I ain't never won

[Verse 4]
So never sit with your back to the door
Or put your hand on a bible, don't ever keep score
Don't owe any money to the company store
And don't take up with women from Baltimore

[Chorus]
Dead man's hand, prayin' all bejesus
Hat in your hand, this whole life is fleetin'
But your old grin's as wide as the whole Rio Grande
Kept all your winnin's in an old coffee can
One step ahead of the revenue man
One card short of a dead man's hand

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 5]
Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane
Are buried together, now ain't that quaint?
Two twenty-dollar gold pieces where their eyes used to be
Not much of a target if you're askin' me

[Chorus]
Dead man's hand, prayin' all bejesus
Hat in your hand, this whole life is fleetin'
But your old grin's as wide as the whole Rio Grande
Kept all your winnin's in an old coffee can
One step ahead of the revenue man
One card short of a dead man's hand