Top Six Songs About Casinos and Gambling of All Time
The music industry is one of the most profitable in the world. But what is your first thought when someone says – money? Ours is – casinos. Interestingly, a number of famous musicians found inspiration in popular games of luck, and this is our pick for the top six songs about casinos and gambling of all time.
#1 Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Presley
“Bright light city gonna set my soul, gonna set my soul on fire.”
One of Elvis Presley’s most recognizable songs, ‘Viva Las Vegas’, tells a story about a man who’s enjoying his time in Sin City. First performed in the movie of the same title, aside from describing everything that makes Las Vegas a unique place on Earth, the song depicts the beauty of playing games such as poker and roulette: “There are blackjack and poker, and a roulette wheel.” Presley mentions one more game in the song: “Let me shoot a seven with every shot.” Do you know the game he is referring to?
#2 The Winner Takes It All – Abba
“The winner takes it all, the loser’s standing small.”
Many believe love is like a card game. Even Abba has a song about it. The ‘Winner Takes It All’ is a story about love and its resemblance to gambling. You know how when things become difficult in a relationship, people tend to hide their feelings, but at some point, both partners need to put their cards on the table. That’s what Abba, one of the most iconic bands in pop music history, sang about. Losses are never easy, in love or cards. But even if you lose a game or two, you’ll eventually win.
Remember, the quality of your relationship depends on the effort you invest in it. The same applies to casino games. Abba was right, the winner takes it all, but also, practice makes perfect (not from the song). “While it might take a little more effort to be a winner in love, those keen on sharpening their gambling skills today can do so at a reputable online casino and help turn their fortunes around,” says Adam Nadeau, founder of Playcasinos.ca. “And who knows, maybe you’ll get inspired to write a song based on your casino experience!”
#3 The Stranger Song – Leonard Cohen
There’s a track on Leonard Cohen’s debut album every poker player can relate to. ‘The Stranger Song’ is a masterpiece. However, even today, critics cannot agree whether the song is about drug addiction, love, poker, or the combination of the three. However, lyrics like “then sweeping up the joker that he left behind, you find he did not leave you very much, not even laughter” can touch every gambler’s heart.
#4 Shape of My Heart – Sting
Another brilliant song filled with gambling analogies is ‘Shape of My Heart’ by Sting. The song talks about a man who’s not obsessed with winning. Truth be told, he doesn’t care if he loses or wins. However, unlike most players, the one from Sting’s track gambles for something more valuable than money; he plays to gain knowledge and discover the game’s more profound meaning.
Let’s try something. Take out the deck, find the cards Sting sings about and discover whether you can see what a man from Sting’s song sees. You should pay attention to the lyrics: “spades are the swords of a soldier” and “diamonds mean money for this art.”
#5 Love Is a Losing Game – Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse was a revolution in the music industry. Her voice and songs quickly revealed the size of her talent. Unfortunately, Amy struggled to balance that talent with the fame it brought about, which ultimately led to her premature death from a drug overdose. Upon her passing, she left the entire music scene and her many fans speechless and devastated. But, even a decade after her death, Amy’s songs still live on, and they will continue to break our hearts and strengthen our spirits, giving us something indescribably encouraging to help us deal with our troubles.
Amy’s song ‘Love Is a Losing Game’ is another piece that reminds us how similar gambling and love are. Like every song from her debut album, this song has layers of dark colors, deep feelings, and melancholia. However, Amy leaves us without the answer whether the man stayed or left. “Love is a losing game” is a line every living soul experienced on their skin, but Amy was among those few who knew how to make art out of it.
#6 Easy Money – Billy Joel
We all want easy money, but not all of us are ready to get involved in anything related to achieving it. However, the world-renowned singer, Billy Joel, wrote a track that refers to just that, ‘Easy Money’, and the benefits of it. In the song, he even judges anyone who wants to waste their time on hard work. Interestingly, the song doesn’t promote greediness. Our singer doesn’t want to make big money; he just wants it to be easy. Don’t we all?
Casino games bring excitement and fun to our lives. So it’s no surprise why many recognizable musical artists used them as inspirations to write songs that subsequent generations continue to play and love.
