whiskey bottle sits upon the table,
Surrounded by the pound and I have a nervous heart.
dealer dealin' good fate or misfortune,
will have you sweatin' bullets for the right cards

The unexpected fear [bad word] to haunt you
like a breath of darkness ridin' in the wind,
it will drag you to the bowels of evil
pretty wild bills, cursed, doesn't ride again.

deadman's hand, a deadman's fate, hold them once and you may never escape.
deadman's hand, a deadman's fate, everybody fears the Aces and Eights.

loaded gun hidin' underneath the table r
ready for the trigger in case you might go down.
You'll [bad word] out standin' like a winner
or lyin' in a pine box six feet underground.

deadman's hand, a deadman's fate, hold them once and you may never escape.
deadman's hand, a deadman's fate, everybody fears the Aces and Eights.

deadman's hand, a deadman's fate, hold them once and you may never escape.
deadman's hand, a deadman's fate, everybody fears the Aces and Eights.