There are plenty of songs with roulette in the lyrics, but some of the best songs about gambling cover all types of card games!
Which songs should you listen to get you in the mood to spin the wheel?
First, we will take a look at the tracks that touch upon or are entirely focused on roulette; then, we will dive into songs that cover other games – just so you’re ready for anything!
American Roulette – Robbie Robertson
A catchy song, although it might not be the happiest you’ll ever hear, the lyrics go:
American roulette,
stake your life upon it,
American roulette,
Same eyes, same eyes,
American roulette.
In case you are wondering, there are some differences between American roulette and European roulette – namely, that the odds of winning on some numbers is lower when playing American roulette.
Roulette – NRG
A South African pop group likens roulette to being in love with someone who might just break their heart. Here are the original lyrics and a translation:
Rooi of swart
Liefde of smart, weet jy nie jy speel roulette met my hart
Stop die wiel
Breek die rel, weet jy nie jy speel roulette met my hart
Red or black
Love or sorrow, don’t you know you are playing roulette with my heart
Stop the wheel
Break the riot, don’t you know you’re playing roulette with my heart
Roulette – Bruce Springsteen
A classic that was written about a nuclear power meltdown. Although the lyrics could be related to many topics, they covered this one in particular. It was a commentary about how people needed to leave their lives behind immediately.
Roulette, that’s the name
Roulette, that’s the game now
Roulette, I don’t know what they’re sayin’
Roulette, everybody’s playin’
Although you’ll find many more songs that cover Russian Roulette!
If roulette isn’t your game, here are plenty of other songs that cover gambling too.
Ace of Spades
It might be an overplayed track, but it is one of the most recognizable songs that feature gambling. While Motorhead is most associated with the track, some covers are worth a listen. So for Bluegrass fans, the Hayseed Dixie’s version is great.
Black Queen
While many songs can be ambiguous, and they might or might not be about gambling, Black Queen confirms it within a few seconds. Stephen Stills doesn’t leave room for the song to be about anything other than a card game.
Gamblin’ Man
A foot-tapping track that opens up with I’ve gambling down in Washington, and I’ve gambled up in Maine, so there is very little doubt about what the track is about.
The track is pretty fast-paced and likely to get stuck in your head and be hummed for a few days.
Ramblin’ Gambling Man
There is a theme to most of the best songs about gambling; they’re bluesy and have a solid beat. This one covers the fact he knew from an early age he wanted to roam and has lyrics like ‘learned to spin fortune wheels, and throw dice’.
Viva Las Vegas
Who doesn’t love Elvis? Perhaps one of the songs that are more than a little synonymous with the glitz and glamour of throwing the dice at the roulette table or stacking the chips at a poker table.
Viva Las Vegas captures the high spirits and joyful nature of what Las Vegas and gambling in Las Vegas is really about.
The Galway Races
Horse racing has always been huge in Ireland, and some of the world’s best runners come from there. So it isn’t a surprise that there would be a song dedicated to the thrill of going to the races and the buzz of the horses before the start of the race.
The time it came for starting
All the horses seemed impatient
Their feet they hardly touched the ground
The speed was so amazing!
Easy Money
Some tracks are dedicated to card games, and the previous one was for horse racing, but part of the charm of Easy Money is that much of the lyrics will resonate with people who like anything from roulette to playing slot machines. Billy Joel sings, ‘take me to the party if they’re betting in the back.’
Casino Boogie
No matter what type of song list you are looking at, there will likely be something from The Rolling Stones – and of course, they have one for casino games!
Oddly enough, the song doesn’t cover anything much about gambling – but fans know that Mick Jagger and the rest enjoyed more than one occasion at the prestigious Monte Carlo casinos.
Songs about gambling vary between comparisons to spinning the wheel on love, Russian Roulette in tough situations, and winning big. There are plenty of playlists on Spotify dedicated to long gaming sessions and those specifically for gambling.
Are you wondering how music can impact what you’re doing? Check this out: What is the Impact of Music on Casino Gamers? – Fake Shore Drive®