10 Best Classic Rock Songs About Gambling

10 Classic Rock Songs About Gambling

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Our article, “10 Classic Rock Songs About Gambling,” showcases songs that define the various aspects of gambling. The word gambling is often associated with casinos, horse racing, and, in modern times, sports betting, which has become legal in many places. However, the concept of gambling does not always involve the actual exchange of money or favors. Gambling can mean a variety of things, from taking risks in a relationship to gambling with one’s life. In this top ten list, we tried to present a variety of gambling songs that stand as some of the best ever written.

# 10 – Easy Money – Billy Joel

We open our list of 10 classic rock songs about gambling with a classic tune from Long Island’s own Billy Joel. The song “Easy Money” was released on his An Innocent Man album, which was his ninth studio release. This was a very cool record in which Billy Joel paid homage to all of his musical heroes. Every song was a tribute in the style of one of his heroes. Easy Money paid homage to James Brown and Wilson Pickett. The song was the opening track on the album and was also included in the Rodney Dangerfield and Joe Pesci movie Easy Money, which is one of the most hilarious movies we’ve ever seen. This one rocks. If there ever was an overused term in gambling, and probably one that people felt pretty much embarrassed about using—usually when they lose—it was the term “easy money.”

# 9 – Sin City – AC/DC

If there ever was a city in the entire world that defined the concept of gambling, it’s Las Vegas, Nevada. AC/DC’s song “Sin City” is all about going to Las Vegas. Just take a listen to these lyrics: “So spin that wheel, cut that pack, and roll those loaded dice, bring on the dancing girls, and put the champagne on ice.” The song was released on the band’s fifth studio album, Powerage. The album was released in May of 1978.

# 8 – Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man – Bob Seger

Well, now you know we couldn’t put together this list without including this song by Bob Seger, right? Additionally, this song has one of the best lines I’ve ever heard in rock and roll music when Seger screams, “Ain’t good looking, but you know I ain’t shy, ain’t afraid to look a girl, yeah, in the eye.” The song “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” was released on Bob Seger’s debut album, also entitled Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man in 1969. The album was credited to the Bob Seger System. The band at the time consisted of Bob Seger on guitar and lead vocals, Dan Honaker on bass, Bob Schultz on organ, and Pep Perrine on drums. If those backing vocals sound a little familiar to you, well, that’s the legendary Glenn Frey of the Eagles singing backup and also playing some acoustic guitar.

# 7 – Winner Takes It All – Sammy Hagar

I love the way this video starts out with Sammy Hagar being woken up by that very scary dude. The song “Winner Takes It All” was released on the Over the Top soundtrack. The film starred Sylvester Stallone. The song by Sammy Hagar was written by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock, although it was produced by Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar. Eddie Van Halen actually plays bass on the song. This was an unusual song for Sammy Hagar because most of the time he composed his own songs or co-wrote them with his bandmates. He has covered many songs in his career, but rarely did he ever have someone write a song for him to sing. Nonetheless, the song is just a fun piece of music that is defined by a very cool video with clips from both the film and Sammy Hagar running around getting out of trouble.

# 6 – Tie – Deuces Are Wild / Draw The Line – Aerosmith

In the number six spot on our rock and roll gambling songs list, we present a tie by one of our favorite bands on the site, Aerosmith. We can never get enough Aerosmith music on this site, and whenever we get a chance to write about them, we’re going to go to the attic and pull some toys out. The song “Deuces Are Wild” was released on The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience compilation album. It would also be released on Big Ones, one of Aerosmith’s compilations. “Draw the Line,” as Aerosmith fans know, was the title track to the band’s album Draw the Line. “Draw the Line” has always been one of our favorite Aerosmith songs. Both songs deal with gambling, but more with the concept of gambling in love than one of monetary value, although when it comes to relationships, we know money can play a pretty big role, if you know what I mean.

# 5 – Let It Ride – Bachman-Turner Overdrive

# 4 – Go Down Gamblin’ – Blood, Sweat & Tears

It makes good sense to place this song in the fourth spot since it was released on the fourth album issued by Blood, Sweat & Tears, titled BS&T 4. The album was released in June of 1971. The song “Go Down Gamblin’” was the album’s opening track. It was written by David Clayton-Thomas. If ever there was a rock and roll song about gambling, this was it, with lyrics that perfectly play into the whole gambling concept.” Born a natural loser I can’t recall just where, Raised on brew and poker and a dollar here and there, Black-jack hand dealer man you better payoff that last debt Two bit hand a twenty one that’s all I ever get Go down gambling.”

Besides the lyrics, this song is simply killer, based on those incredible horn lines and guitar riffs that fuel the song’s entirety. This is definitely one of the band’s better songs. It was paid tribute by the band as it was placed on their first greatest hits album. However, as smoking as this tune is, it hasn’t gotten as much love as all the bigger hits, and that’s sad because it most definitely deserves it.

Read More: Top 10 Blood, Sweat & Tears Songs

# 3 – Roulette – Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen’s “Roulette” was one of those outtakes that never made it onto any of his studio albums, leaving fans perplexed. This roaring, rocking song was definitely one of his best. How an artist could leave a song like this off an album is just unbelievable, but that’s what Bruce Springsteen was all about—he wrote so many great songs, he simply did not have the room to include them all on his studio records. This song was written toward the end of the ’70s, during the Three Mile Island crisis and the broader anti-nuclear power movement. While it never explicitly mentions nuclear power plants, the lyrics clearly reflect this theme. He’s singing about how governments installing these plants were playing roulette and gambling with the lives of the people who lived around them. It’s all in there; you just have to listen.

# 2 – Wheel Of Fortune – The Doobie Brothers

As we approach the number one spot on our gambling songs list, we return to the classic Doobie Brothers song “Wheel of Fortune.” This song was released on the Doobie Brothers’ 1976 album Taking It to the Streets. When we first compiled our top ten Doobie Brothers songs list, “Wheel of Fortune” was placed in the number one spot. It’s just a phenomenal song that highlights every aspect of the Doobie Brothers that we’ve loved for years—from the spectacular guitar work and incredible grooves to the phenomenal production and sensational vocals.

Lyrically, this song examines the gambling aspect of life, how some people win, some lose, and how that can change over time. The song seems angry at times, and there appears to be some sort of anti-city sentiment going on, although it’s a little ambiguous. Additionally, “Wheel of Fortune” also references a tarot card, adding layers of meaning to the song. And of course, like all great pieces of music and lyrical compositions, it’s open to interpretation.

# 1 – Viva Las Vegas – Elvis Presley

We close out our list of gambling songs with the ultimate rock and roll tune about gambling, laid out many years ago by the king himself, Elvis Presley. “Viva Las Vegas,” released in 1964, was the title track to the Elvis Presley movie of the same name. While this recording wasn’t the biggest hit of his career, it still performed quite well on the charts, peaking at number twenty-nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also became a top ten hit in Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Italy, Ireland, Denmark, and Australia. The song was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman.

“Viva Las Vegas,” would become one of the most covered Elvis Presley songs ever, with a wide variety of rock and rollers from ZZ Top to Bruce Springsteen to the Dead Kennedys and many more covering it. If there ever was a song that defined the excitement of gambling and all that comes with it, it was this classic song, “Viva Las Vegas,” by a true musical legend.

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