Origins: Deck of Cards

Subject: Deck of cards
From: Padlock
Date: 04 Mar 97 - 09:18 PM

Does anyone know the words to "Deck of Cards" recorded by Bill Anderson. I think it was done before that by Rex Allen.

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: dwckabal
Date: 04 Mar 97 - 09:40 PM

the original recording was an album by tex ritter. Dont know all the words. Hope someone can help you.

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From:
Date: 04 Mar 97 - 10:38 PM

go to: http://www.roughstock.com/cowpie and look under TYLER.

Subject: Lyr Add: DECK OF CARDS (from T. Texas Tyler)
From:
Date: 05 Mar 97 - 03:18 AM

DECK OF CARDS - Recorded by T. Texas Tyler

NARRATIVE: https://diymusician.cdbaby.com/music-rights/indie-musicians-can-monetize-music-facebook/

...During the North African campaign, a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike and they arrived in a little town called Cascina. The next morning being Sunday, several of the boys went to Church. A sergeant commanded the boys in Church and after the Chaplain had read the prayer, the text was taken up next.

..Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out, but this one boy had only a deck of cards, and so he spread them out. The Sergeant saw the cards and said, "Soldier put away those cards." After the services was over, the soldier was taken prisoner and brought before the Provost Marshal.

...The Marshal said, "Sergeant, why have you brought the man here?" "For playing cards in church, Sir." "And what have you got to say for yourself, son?" "Much, Sir." Replied the soldier. The Marshal said, "I hope so, for if not I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished."

...The soldier said, "Sir, I've been on the march for about six days, I had neither Bible nor prayer book, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions." With that, the boy started his story:

...You see Sir, when I look at the "ACE", it reminds me that there is but one God;

...And the "DEUCE" reminds me that the Bible is divided into two parts; The Old and the New Testaments;

...And when I see the "TREY", I think of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;

...And when I see the "FOUR", I think of the four Evangelists who preached the Gospel. There was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John;

...And when I see the "FIVE", it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps. There were ten of them, five were wise and were saved. Five were foolish and were shut out;

...And when I see the "SIX", it reminds me that in six days, God made this great heaven and earth;

...When I see the "SEVEN", it reminds me that on the seventh day, God rested from His great work;

...And when I see the "EIGHT", I think of the eight righteous persons God saved when He destroyed this earth. There was Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives;

...And when I see the "NINE", I think of the lepers our Saviour cleansed. And nine out of the ten didn't even thank Him.

...When I see the "TEN", I think of the Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses on a table of stone;

...When I see the "KING", it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven, God Almighty;

...And when I see the "QUEEN", I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is Queen of Heaven;

...And the "JACK" or "KNAVE" is the Devil;

...When I count the number of spots on a deck of cards, I find 365, the number of days in a year;

...There's 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year;

...There's 4 suits, the number of weeks in a month;

...There's 12 picture cards, the number of months in a year;

...There's 13 tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter;

...So you see, Sir, my pack of cards serves me as a Bible, Almanac and Prayer Book.

"And friends, this is a true story, because I was that soldier."

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From:
Date: 05 Mar 97 - 10:35 AM

"Deck of Cards is apparently an extremely old performance piece. I have seen a newspaper clipping of the lyrics pasted in an old (late nineteenth-century) "ballet book" from the Southern Appalachians. The prologue assigning the episode to WWII and the final line making the narrative autobiographical were added or modified by Tyler, but the rest of the text is pretty much as I remember it from the clipping and from the old versions I used to hear on the radio. The version I have dates from the 1870's, and the story is told by a soldier "who was taken before the magistrate in Glasgow;" so that I assume the clipping to have a Scottish locale.

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 05 Mar 97 - 06:15 PM

Many thanx for the lyric, and for the notes.

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From:
Date: 24 May 98 - 05:02 PM

All, Thank You for all the insight.

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: johnhill
Date: 26 May 98 - 04:26 PM

The hit version of 1959 was by Wink Martindale

Cheers

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: Nubbins
Date: 14 Sep 98 - 01:10 PM

Hey i thank you who ever put these lyrics on here i want the song but i can not find the song any where can someone help me. thanks nubbins

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: nubbins
Date: 16 Sep 98 - 04:31 PM

hey nobody has answered i will be counting the days until someone answers i would like to know where to find the music in the dallas ft worth area ok

nubbins

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: Gene
Date: 16 Sep 98 - 07:10 PM

YOU CAN FIND TEX RITTER'S GREATEST HITS CD
Which has Deck Of Cards on it at: CDUNIVERSE
* CLICK HERE *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsCiaxPhtVY

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From: Art Thieme
Date: 09 Oct 98 - 11:11 PM

An idea for anyone with an "OLD MAID" card game deck.

Write a version of this song using the "OLD MAID" cards!!

Subject: RE: Deck of cards
From:
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 11:32 AM

My husband and I have been trying to locate this song for some time. Every store we tried never heard of it. At least now we know we we weren't imagining it. Thanks so much!

cowlovers

Subject: RE: Singers Title: Bible Story with Deck of Cards
From: GUEST,Gene
Date: 20 Apr 00 - 04:30 PM

DECK OF CARDS
Recorded by:

T. Texas Tyler [Earliest known RECORDED VERSION]
Tex Ritter
Cowboy Copas
Wink Martindale
Phil Harris
Red Sovine
Simon Crumb; aka Ferlin Husky [Hillbilly DOC]
Rex Allen
[Cowboy DOC]
Bill Anderson
[Desert Storm version]

Anybody know of any others; please add.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALLAD OF SOULFUL SAM (Robert Service
From: Songster Bob
Date: 30 Jan 07 - 09:51 PM

"Robert Service wrote a poem..." called "The Ballad of Soulful Sam." Bob Zentz does a fine version of it.

And here it is!

The Ballad of Soulful Sam

You want me to tell you a story, a yarn of the firin' line,
Of our thin red kharki 'eroes, out there where the bullets whine;
Out there where the bombs are bustin',
and the cannons like 'ell-doors slam --
Just order another drink, boys, and I'll tell you of Soulful Sam.

Oh, Sam, he was never 'ilarious, though I've 'ad some mates as was wus;
He 'adn't C. B. on his programme, he never was known to cuss.
For a card or a skirt or a beer-mug he 'adn't a friendly word;
But when it came down to Scriptures, say! Wasn't he just a bird!

He always 'ad tracts in his pocket, the which he would haste to present,
And though the fellers would use them in ways that they never was meant,
I used to read 'em religious, and frequent I've been impressed
By some of them bundles of 'oly dope he carried around in his vest.

For I -- and oh, 'ow I shudder at the 'orror the word conveys!
'Ave been -- let me whisper it 'oarsely -- a gambler 'alf of me days;
A gambler, you 'ear -- a gambler. It makes me wishful to weep,
And yet 'ow it's true, my brethren! -- I'd rather gamble than sleep.

I've gambled the 'ole world over, from Monte Carlo to Maine;
From Dawson City to Dover, from San Francisco to Spain.
Cards! They 'ave been me ruin. They've taken me pride and me pelf,
And when I'd no one to play with -- why, I'd go and I'd play by meself.

And Sam 'e would sit and watch me, as I shuffled a greasy deck,
And 'e'd say: "You're bound to Perdition,"
And I'd answer: "Git off me neck!"
And that's 'ow we came to get friendly, though built on a different plan,
Me wot's a desprite gambler, 'im sich a good young man.

But on to me tale. Just imagine . . . Darkness! The battle-front!
The furious 'Uns attackin'! Us ones a-bearin' the brunt!
Me crouchin' be'ind a sandbag, tryin' 'ard to keep calm,
When I 'ears someone singin' a 'ymn toon; be'old! it is Soulful Sam.

Yes; right in the crash of the combat, in the fury of flash and flame,
'E was shootin' and singin' serenely as if 'e enjoyed the same.
And there in the 'eat of the battle, as the 'ordes of demons attacked,
He dipped down into 'is tunic, and 'e 'anded me out a tract.

Then a star-shell flared, and I read it: Oh, Flee From the Wrath to Come!
Nice cheerful subject, I tell yer, when you're 'earin' the bullets 'um.
And before I 'ad time to thank 'im, just one of them bits of lead
Comes slingin' along in a 'urry, and it 'its my partner. . . . Dead?

No, siree! not by a long sight! For it plugged 'im 'ard on the chest,
Just where 'e'd tracts for a army corps stowed away in 'is vest.
On its mission of death that bullet 'ustled along, and it caved
A 'ole in them tracts to 'is 'ide, boys -- but the life o' me pal was saved.

And there as 'e showed me in triumph, and 'orror was chokin' me breath,
On came another bullet on its 'orrible mission of death;
On through the night it cavorted, seekin' its 'aven of rest,
And it zipped through a crack in the sandbags, and it wolloped me bang on the breast.

Was I killed, do you ask? Oh no, boys. Why am I sittin' 'ere
Gazin' with mournful vision at a mug long empty of beer?
With a throat as dry as a -- oh, thanky! I don't much mind if I do.
Beer with a dash of 'ollands, that's my particular brew.

Yes, that was a terrible moment. It 'ammered me 'ard o'er the 'eart;
It bowled me down like a nine-pin, and I looked for the gore to start;
And I saw in the flash of a moment, in that thunder of hate and strife,
Me wretched past like a pitchur -- the sins of a gambler's life.

For I 'ad no tracts to save me, to thwart that mad missile's doom;
I 'ad no pious pamphlets to 'elp me to cheat the tomb;
I 'ad no 'oly leaflets to baffle a bullet's aim;
I'd only -- a deck of cards, boys, but . . . it seemed to do just the same.



Bob

Subject: RE: Singers Title: Bible Story with Deck of Cards
From: Mark Ross
Date: 07 Dec 10 - 02:18 PM

Utah Phillips used to do an anti-communist version called THE RED DECK OF CARDS. Anyone know this?

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Singers Title: Bible Story with Deck of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 12:21 AM

Darn. Haven't heard of it, but I thought I knew somebody by the name of Mark Ross who knew every song Utah Phillips ever performed. But heck, in this case it's Mark himself doin' the asking. What hope have we mere mortals??/
[grin]
Hope you find it, Mark.

-Joe-

---

Ah, there's this: https://looklistenthink.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/the-1954-red-deck-of-cards-re-visited-in-2012/

LESSONS FROM THE RED-DECK OF CARDS

– Mary A. LaClair

There is an old-time inspirational ballad entitled “The Deck of Cards” and I found it recently on the web. This piece of old tells of a Korean War soldier (updated to be Afghanistan) who was arrested for playing cards in church. He had been on the march for six days and had no Bible and no prayer book. When brought before the Provost Marshall he said “I have much to say and I hope to impress you with the purity of my intentions.” He used the deck of cards to recall many religious things. The Ace reminded him there is but One God.; the two reminded him of the 2 testaments of the Bible; the ‘trey’ for the Trinity, the four for the four gospels, five for five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps; the six reminded him of the six days in which the world was made; and on the seventh day He rested; there were eight righteous saved when He destroyed this earth: Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives; nine out of ten lepers didn’t even thank Him for curing them; the ten reminded him there are Ten Commandments, the King for the King of Glory, the Queen for the Virgin Mary, and the Jack or the Knave for the devil. I would hope that a Church going soldier today would both give and get as much respect and honor.

This inspirational incident was memorialized years ago when it was set to music and titled “The Deck of Cards”. http://thegentleshepherd.net/SoldiersDeckOfCards.html

Of course the enemy had to come up with a contradiction to this memorial. It was called The Red Deck of Cards. In this, the enemy blatantly revealed the ‘scheme’ to conquer America. I first remember hearing each of these poetic works on one old RCA 78 rpm recording, The Deck of Cards on one side; The Red Deck of Cards on the other side of this old wax disc.

We are exhorted in Scripture ‘to know thine enemy’, therefore it is worthwhile to review his tactics as revealed back then. I was fortunate enough to find a dealer in old Victrola machines and he let me play my old 78 rpm on his machine twelve years ago while I recorded it on my pocket recorder. Thus retrieved

The Red Deck of Cards in part relates this:

During the last days of the prisoner exchange a soldier told how the Communists had used the deck of cards to try to teach their false doctrine to the prisoners. The Ace represented that there was one god – the State.

In this season of presidential election, I see some candidates campaign as if they think we want Federal Government alias ‘the State’ to become God! Why it even will take care of us right up to the grave! (…if there is anything left over after taxes)

The number three, or the trey, represented what they called three religious superstitions which the Communists aimed to destroy: Catholic, Protestant and Jewish. The seven was for the seventh day which they thought was foolishly wasted on our God. The nine was for the whip cat ‘o nine tails across the backs of those who prayed. The ten, for the ten stupid commandments which capitalist fools believed in.

The missing numbers for the RED DECK OF CARDS may also be found on the web. You, too, may hear it as recited by Red River Dave back in 1954 and hear it more completely. http://www.authentichistory.com/1946-1960/2-korea/3-music/19540000_The_Red_Deck_of_Cards-Red_River_Dave.html

Flashbacks occur and relate to this Communist concept as outlined in The Red Deck of Cards with reports on the removal of the Ten Commandments monument in Texas. Judge Moore’s fight was not just for himself but for the future of our Country. I’m sure you can think of other, more recent comparisons.

Communist leader Nikita Kruschev once proclaimed that America couldn’t be beaten in war so they would try to conquer us from within – – corrupt their morals and they will fall like Ancient Rome. The Communists also predicted that America would pay for its own destruction. One of the ways they would attempt this would be to get Americans fully dependent upon the Government, as if Government was God, and then pull-the-rug-out from under the people. ‘Every freedom has a responsibility; when we surrender a responsibilty we relinquish and surrender the corresponding freedom.’ Give the State most of your money and let the State take care of you. Right! NOT!!

If our Government grants a ‘right’, it can also take it away. Our Constitution cites certain ‘inalienable rights’ which cannot be ‘alienated’, or taken away from us, because they are God granted rights, gifts from the Giver of life. Mess with them and you mess with the Creator. Among these rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness….for us and for our posterity. This was understood by our Founding Fathers.

Have we drifted to the point we are ‘messing with God’? Can we but expect His judgment when we move out from under the protection of the umbrella God?
Do people in this election want Government to be God? It seems that way to me. I prefer the candidate who knows how to create private sector jobs. Let him who will not work, not eat, says the Good Book. There is a difference between ‘will not’ and ‘can not’.

It is recorded that President Lincoln prayed “God protect us from our enemies both from without, and from within“. It is time for us to make this the individual prayer of each of us, and to do so before election time. In addition we MUST cast a well informed vote. Ignorance is not bliss! God said, ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge”. (Hosea 4:6)

Subject: RE: Singers Title: Bible Story with Deck of Cards
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 08 Dec 10 - 03:14 AM

OK - I'm only gonna post this once- my own version:

THE DECK OF CARDS

Folks, during the North African campaign of the Mexican War of Independence, a group of soldiers had been out foraging for the elusive enchilada.
The next day being Sunday, they went to Church, and the text was taken up.
But one of the soldier-boys did not have a bible, so he took a deck of cards and spread them out.
A sergeant saw the boy, and said "Soldier, put away those cards!"
Afterwards, he was brought up before the Provost Marshal, Dillon, who asked, "Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?"
"For playing cards in church, sir."
"Great!" said the Provost Marshal, "Let's get started…Texas Hold 'Em or Blackjack?"
"No sir!" said the sergeant. "HE was playing cards in Church!"
"Oops!" said the Provost Marshal, Art. "What have you got to say for yourself, son?"
"Much, sir." Replied the soldier.
"I hope so." said the P.M. (S). "Or you shall be punished more than any man was ever punished."
"Sir," said the boy, "we have been on the march for weeks, pursuing the elusive enchilada, and I did not have my bible, sir, because it saved my life when it stopped a bullet aimed right at my heart, and then I couldn't read it, 'cause there was a great big hole right through all the pages. And all I had left was this old deck of cards.
You see, sir, when I see the Ace, I think of the bandage, or the place of the helpful hardware man.
And when I see the two, I think of the two parts into which this great world is divided – Red Sox Nation and the Evil Empire.
When I look at the three I think of the blessed trinity - Guinness, Harp and Smithwicks.
And when I see the four, I think of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and not one of them ever won the Kentucky Derby, though Pestilence had great workout times.
When I see the five I'm reminded of the Marx Brothers before Zeppo and Gummo left them.
When I look at the six, I see the number of legs on a dog and a half.
And when I see the seven, I think of the number of legs on an amputee octopus.
The eight reminds me of the miracle of the amputee octopus who went to Lourdes and got his leg back.
And when I see the nine, I think of the nine months my mother carried me when I was twenty-three.
The ten reminds me of the number of apostles left after Judas buggered off and Thomas had been fired for doubting.
The Jack or knave, is of course, Karl Rove.
When I see the Queen, I think of Helen Mirren,
And the King is a hunka-hunka burnin' love.
There are fifty-two cards in a deck of cards, the number represented by the Roman numerals LII.
There are four suits in a deck of cards: class-action, frivolous, blue pinstripe and orange jump.
There are twelve picture cards, the exact number of eggs in a dozen.
There are thirteen tricks in a deck of cards, the number of tricks in the DC madam's little black book that aren't politicians.
When I count the number of spots in a deck of cards, I come up with three hundred and sixty-five, the number of spots on the endangered Himalayan snow leopard, give or take seven or eight spots.
So you see sir, my deck of cards serves me as a bible, an almanac, an encyclopedia and also as a deck of cards.

And folks, this story is true. I know, because I heard it on Fox news.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Deck of Cards (from Bill Anderson)
From: Deckman
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 07:30 AM

Back about 1980, I ran into a fellow who learned this when he was an American soldier in Korea. I imagine they are many different patters for this recitation. His was called "Old Joe." I wish I had the words. bob(deckman)nelson

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Deck of Cards (from Bill Anderson)
From: Gene
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 12:22 PM

Bill Anderson did update the song to the Desert Storm era...

But the Deck of cards story line narration is essentially the same.

G

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Deck of Cards (from Bill Anderson)
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 01:18 PM

Back in the 60s, there was a parody of this song done on the David Frost Show. In that version, a soldier is caught playing cricket in church and talks his way out of trouble by saying things like, "When I see the ball spinning, I think of God's own world spinning in the firmament". Quite clever, really.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Deck of Cards (from Bill Anderson)
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 01:58 PM

i need words of In this day and time...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Deck of Cards (from Bill Anderson)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 08:47 PM

I must have missed this thread. Sigmund Spaeth collected and published a version of this song "Deck of Cards" in More Read Them & Weep. I'll post the words this weekend. That was one song I found interesting:

What was in that deck of cards?
It was an Ace!

It may not be the same song but it is interesting.

Charley Noble

Subject: ADD: Pack of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 12:33 AM

Way back in 2012, eight years ago, Charley Noble promised to post the version from Sigmund Spaeth. But he didn't. Here it is, from pages 236-238 of Sigmund Spaeth's Weep Some More, My Lady (Doubleday, 1927).

Notes: Another song that the editor has tried for a long time to secure is known as "A Pack of Cards." F.P.A., Dietz, and Webster, the cartoonist, were all able to quote it in part, but it was Joseph Priaulx of Ditson's who finally landed a complete copy. We admit that its presence in these pages fills us with an unholy joy.

A PACK OF CARDS

One night as I sat by my fireside so weary,
And dreaming of friends who were far, far away;
My memory brought me some tho'ts sad and dreary,
Yet others came, too, that were cheerful and gay.
When all of a sudden I found my eyes resting
On something that brought many scenes to my mind,
'Twas an old pack of cards, and some tales interesting,
I thought that I might in their history find!
The first scene I saw that night,
I thought was quite a pleasant sight,
A grand old room ablaze with light,
I whispered, "Kind regards."
Whilst round the board sat young and old,
They played for love and not for gold,
Whilst joy and sorrow all untold,
Was in that pack of cards!

The next scene I saw filled my heart with great pity,
It was a young man and his parents I knew,
‘Twas their only son whom they’d sent to the city
To study, and grow up a gentleman true,
A weekly allowance they thought would suffice him,
To live on the best and for studies to pay,
They knew not that evil companions enticed him
Away from his studies at poker to play!

[Moderato] I saw him as he left his seat,
He never thought his pals would cheat,
Each time he played he met defeat,
And still he called them pards;
But there will come a reckoning day,
And he will thro’ this foolish play,
Bring sorrow in the old folks’ way,
All thro’ that pack of cards!

The last scene of all I beheld with much sorrow,
For there was the scene of the gambler’s black fate,
No thought had they got of the waking to-morrow
Though then they’d repent but to find it too late.
The bright gold was stacked by the side of each player,
The miser’s black greed was in every man’s heart,
As quickly the bets passed twixt backer and layer,
And ruin was King in the Devil’s slave mart!

[Moderato] “I’ll stake a hundred on this game,”
“I’ll go you, sir, I’ll do the same,”
Who cares for misery and shame,
As each his treasure guards
“You lie! I saw you turn that ace,”
A smashing blow right in the face,
A pistol shot, and death’s disgrace,
Was in that pack of cards!


Interesting, but not the same song. I'll post the melody if anyone is interested.

---

Here's the Traditional Ballad Index entry:

Pack of Cards, A

DESCRIPTION: "One night as I sat by my fireside so weary..... When all of a sudden I found my eyes resting On something that brought many scenes to my mind, 'Twas an old pack of cards." The singer tells talesof a gambler slowly dies from gambling and poverty
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (Shay-Barroom)
KEYWORDS: gambling death hardtimes cards
FOUND IN: US
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Shay-Barroom, pp. 117-119, "A Pack of Cards" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #9535
File: SBar117

---

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2020 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 04:18 AM

The title says 'Origin' but only Bill Foster hints at this. The piece is much older even than Bill postulated.

Subject: ADD: The Game of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 05:05 PM

Well, this is interesting, but not really related to the American song.


THE GAME OF CARDS

You true sons of Erin draw near me,
The truth unto you I’ll declare,
Our brave Irish sons are preparing,
Our Church to defend without fear,
The stout ace of hearts we’ll uphold them
And likewise the club in our hands,
The game it will now be soon finished.
Its staked in our Gallic friend’s hands.

Dr. Cahill’s the first that will deal them
He will send the five fingers to France,
The stout Knave of Clubs to America,
To awake the brave hearts soon to dance,
John Bull has got plenty of money,
But no one will take it they say,
Let us throw an ace on his diamond,
Then wheel-out and that is your play.

Napoleon of France will next deal them,
All-fours he knows how to play well,
He’ll come down like a suit drop on them,
All the cards in their hands he can tell,
When D’Esterre went to play O’Connell,
He was in the hell of a pout,
With a trigger the cards he did shuffle,
Says Dan that’s a jink and wheel-out.

In the year ‘98, they all beat us,
Twas easy to beat drunken men
But now we’re both sober and steady,
Nearly ready to finish the game;
There’s Longford, Westmeath and county
And likewise the county Carlow,
Where the boys can handle the clubs,
While playing the game of all-fours.

Thro’ the county Wexford and Wicklow,
The sons of old Granua do stray,
Very soon they will all come together,
With John Bull the all-fours to play;
The game that was played on great Tara,
Was lost by renaging the king,
If you keep the knave on his diamond,
Sure he’ll keep the five over him.

The sweet county Clare has shuffled,
And to brave Tipperary did cry,
The French will advance us ten millions,
Then we’ll win the game by-and-bye,
John Bull never learned to play them,
But Pitt at his folly did wink,
He’s now in the midst of a hobble,
We’ll make it a regular jink.

Castlereagh and old Pitt were gamesters,
They shuffled and showed us foul play.
By bribes and corruption they done it.
Our Parliament they stole away,
N-aboc-lish, the times are now changing,
Each man for the game will strive,
On the green hills of Erin we’ll play it,
And jink out the last twenty-five.


Source: The Mercier Book of Old Irish Street Ballads, Volume Two: History and Politics, edited by James N. Healy (Mercier Press, 1969), pages 81-83

Notes: The principle of a game of cards applied to the political game. Not entirely successful as some of the applications are either meaningless or obscure. Because of criticism against the Orange Corporation of Dublin by O'Connell, D'Esterre challenged him to a duel in 1815, and was killed. O'Connell, who hated bloodshed, thereafter wore a glove on his right hand.
The reference to Clare is that O'Connell was elected there in 1828. There are hints in the ballad of Ireland's hope of France. Castlereagh and Pirt were both unionists antagonistic to the Irish National cause.

---

From the Traditional Ballad Index:

Game of Cards (II), The

DESCRIPTION: Cahill, Napoleon, D'Esterre and O'Connell, Castlereagh and Pitt are presented as players of all-fours or twenty-five representing Erin, France and John Bull. In 1798, "'Twas easy to beat drunken men." Now we're sober. "Nearly ready to finish the game"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1966 (Zimmermann)
KEYWORDS: game cards England France Ireland nonballad patriotic political
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Moylan 127, "The Game of Cards" (1 text)
Healy-OISBv2, pp. 81-83, "The Game of Cards" (1 text)
Roud #V4231
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, 2806 b.9(35), "The Game of Cards" ("You true sons of Erin draw near me"), P. Brereton (Dublin), c.1867; also 2806 c.8(87), 2806 b.9(231), 2806 b.11(12), Johnson Ballads 3062, "The Game of Cards"; Harding B 26(283), "The Irish Volunteers of 1860"
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Shan Van Voght (1848)" for references to the "stealing" of Grattan's Parliament
cf. "The Wheels of the World" for references to the "stealing" of Grattan's Parliament
NOTES [385 words]: There is no "overall game" nor even a "game" in this broadside, just a set of disconnected plays in what seem to be two different card games.
Dr Daniel William Cahill [1796-1864] deals "the five fingers to France, The stout Knave of Clubs to America." Cahill argued against the government and the Established Church of Ireland (source: "Daniel William Cahill" in The Catholic Encyclopedia at the New Advent site).
Napoleon deals all-fours next.
"D'Esterre went to play O'Connell ... with a trigger the cards he did shuffle." Daniel O'Connell killed challenger D'Esterre in an 1815 duel over a disparaging speech by O'Connell about the Dublin Corporation (source: "Daniel O'Connell" in The Catholic Encyclopedia at the New Advent site).
The 1798 defeat at Tara is referred to as all-fours but seems to mix in the twenty-five rules.
"Castlereagh and old Pitt were gamesters ... Our Parliament they stole away." Castlereagh and William Pitt championed the Act of Union of Ireland and England in 1800, but both resigned with Cornwallis in 1801 when George III refused to allow Irish Emancipation (source: "Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh" in The Age of George III at the site of A Web of English History).
For another attribution of the 1798 loss to Irish drunkenness see "The Boys of Wexford."
For discussions of the card games of "All Fours" (Old Sledge, Auction Pitch, High-Low-Jack) and "Twenty-Five" (Spoil Five, Five Fingers) see the Card Games site and The United States Playing Card Company site. - BS
It would be hard to claim that alcohol ruined the 1798 rebellion; that was wrecked by lack of planning and the fact that the United Irish leadership was informant-riddled. But the Fenians of the nineteenth century did often fall prey to drink. A still later rebel, Vinnie Byrne, claims it nearly cost them even after the 1916 rebellion: "[Michael] Collins was a marvel. If he hadn't done the work he did, we'd still be under Britain. Informers and drink would have taken care of us." (See Tim Pat Coogan, Michael Collins, p. 116.)
The references to the stealing of Parliament remind me very much of "The Wheels of the World," though which came first is not clear. There is a similar reference in "The Shan Van Voght (1848)." For additional background, see the notes to those two songs.- RBW
Last updated in version 5.1
File: BrdTGoC2

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Subject: ADD: The Game of Cards (from Kennedy)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 05:40 PM

THE GAME OF CARDS

As I was a-walking one midsummer’s morning
I heard the birds whistle and the nightingales play
And there did I spy a beautiful maiden
As I was a-walking all on the highway
And there did I spy a beautiful maiden
As I was a-walking all on the highway

O where are you going, my fair pretty lady?
O where are you going so early this morn
She said: I’m going down to visit my neighbours
I’m going down to Leicester, the place I was born
(Repeat last two lines of each verse)

It’s: May I come with you, my sweet pretty darling?
May I go along in your sweet compan-ie?
Then she turned her head and smiling all at me
Saying: You may come with me, kind sir, if you please

We hadn’t been walking but a few miles together
Before this young damsel began to show free
She sat herself down, saying: Sit down beside me
And the games we shall play shall be one, two and three

I said: My dear lady, if you’re fond of the gaming
There’s one game I know I would like you to learn
The game it is called: The Game of All Fours
So I took out my pack and began the first turn

She cut the cards first and I fell a-dealing
I dealt her a trump and myself the poor jack
She led off her ace and stole my jack from me
Saying: Jack is the card I like best in your pack

Since I dealt them last time, it’s your turn to shuffle
And my turn to show the best card in the pack
Once more she’d the ace and the deuce for to beat me
Once again I had lost when I laid down poor jack

So I took up my hat and I bid her: Good morning
I said: You’re the best that I know at this game
She answered: Young man, if you’ll come back to-morrow
We’ll play the game over and over again

---

And from the Traditional Ballad Index:

Game of Cards (I), The

DESCRIPTION: A young man meets a girl by the highway. They walk together; she would play a game. He wants her to learn "the game of all fours." When the "cards" are "dealt," she takes his "jack." If he will return, she offers to "play the game over and over again."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1830 (broadside, Bodleian Harding B 11(540))
KEYWORDS: cards sex bawdy seduction game
FOUND IN: Britain(England(South,Lond))
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Kennedy 175, "The Game of Cards" (1 text, 1 tune)
MacSeegTrav 36, "All Fours" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
Reeves-Circle 2, "All Fours" (1 text)
RoudBishop #24, "The Game of Gards" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, GAMECARD
Roud #232
RECORDINGS:
Sam Larner, "All Fours" (on SLarner02)
Levi Smith, "The Game of Cards" (on Voice11)
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Harding B 11(540), "The Cards" ("As I walked out one midsummer morning"), T. Birt (London), 1828-1829; also Harding B 11(1855), Firth b.27(418), "The Cards"; Firth b.34(281), "Game of All Fours"; Firth b.34(120), "Game of All Fours," unknown, n.d.
ALTERNATE TITLES:
One-Two-and-Three
The Game of All Fours
As I Walked Out
NOTES [138 words]: The actual card-game of "All Fours" is also known, in the USA, as "Seven-Up," "Old Sledge," "High-Low-Jack," and "Pitch" -- but the use of the game as a sexual metaphor did not make it across the ocean. - PJS
W. C. Hazlitt A Dictionary of Faiths & Folklore, entry on "All Fours," notes that the common amusement of having an adult get down on arms and knees and have a child ride on his back is also known as "all fours," which obviously has high potential for sexual undercurrents.
There are other songs entitled "The Game of Cards" -- e.g. Healy-OISBv2, pp. 81-83. Some may have distant dependence on this, but most are probably distinct. - RBW
Yates, Musical Traditions site Voice of the People suite "Notes - Volume 11" - 11.9.02: "it should be stressed that this song has nothing, whatsoever, to do with the card game." - BS
Last updated in version 4.1
File: K175

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Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 05:42 PM

So, that's what I've got, Steve. Anything you can find that's earlier than "Deck of Cards" and closer to it?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 05:50 PM

Numerous broadsides. I'll check out the earliest ones ASAP.

Subject: ADD: Emblems of Religion (recitation)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 05:51 PM

From Our Paper, page 292, June 16, 1921, Massachusetts Reformatory, Concord, Massachusetts.

EMBLEMS OF RELIGION

A soldier was taken before a judge advocate. His offense consisted, not of playing, but of looking at the cards, one after another, during divine service.

He conducted his own case and testified as follows:

"I have been six weeks on the march. In action I lost both my Bible and prayer book, leaving me nothing but a pack of cards. I believe I can satisfy you, sir, of the purity of my intentions in using this pack of cards at chapel."

Spreading the cards before the judge, he began with the ace: "When I see the ace, it reminds me there is but one God. The deuce reminds me of Father and Son; the tray, of Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. When I see the four-spot it reminds me of the four Evangelists that preached, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The five recalls the five wise Virgins that trimmed their lamps. The six brings back the six days in which the Lord made heaven and earth. By the seven I am reminded that He rested on the seventh day from the great work He had created, and hallowed it. The eight recalls the eight righteous persons that were saved when God destroyed the world, viz, Noah and his wife, their three sons and their wives. When I see the nine it reminds me of the nine lepers that were cleansed by our Saviour; there were nine out of ten who never returned thanks. The ten recalls the ten commandments which God handed down to Moses on tables of stone. The King reminds me of the King of Heaven; the Queen of the Queen of Sheba who visited Solomon.

"You have done well," said the judge, "but you have omitted one card, the Knave."

"The greatest Knave I know of," returned the soldier, "is the sergeant that brought me here."

"Granted," said the judge, "case dismissed."— Rehoboth Sunday Herald.

Subject: ADD: The Pack of Cards/Deck of Cards (recitation)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 06:08 PM

From All the Year Round: A Weekly Journal conducted by Charles Dickens, Volume XVIII, page 167 (August 10, 1867):

While the vocalists were resting, the "call" was generally passed on to the story-teller of the village, Loasby, the old sexton, who, with the most extraordinary gravity and faultless memory, would relate, word for word, an old allegory called The Pack of Cards, or, as Loasby called it, The Deck of Cards. This was a highly popular story, owing, no doubt, to its allegorical character, always a favourite form of fiction with poor people and children, whose tastes in literature, for obvious reasons, are much alike. On none of the upturned faces around was a smile to be seen; and if a new visitor, on hearing the remarkable memoria technica for the first time, betrayed some amusement, he was immediately shamed into gravity by the wondering glances turned on him. To give the telling of this allegory due effect, the narrator, as he sat at the head of the table, should spread his Pack of Cards solemnly out before his audience and refer to them. Master Loasby would proceed as follows:

"The title is called the Soldier's Prayer and Homily Book of the 306th Regiment of" Foot.

"And when the congregation came into church, they all took their seats, and those that had books pulled them out; but this poor soldier had neither Bible nor Prayer-book, nothing only this here deck of cards, and he pulled them out and laid them before him. He looked first upon one and then upon another card as he sat, and the sergeant of the company saw him, and said, 'Richard, put up those cards, else after the divine service is over you are my prisoner.'

"' What for?' said the soldier.

"' For playing a game of cards in the church,' said the sergeant.

"' No,' said the soldier, 'I did not play a game of cards in the church, for I was only looking at a deck.'

"' No matter at all about that, you are my prisoner.'

"' Well,' said the soldier, 'where must I go?'

"' Before the mayor,' said the sergeant.

"' Well and good,' said the soldier.

"When they came to the mayor, he was at dinner; but when the mayor came out, he said, 'Well, sergeant, what have you to do with me to-day?'

"' Sir, I have brought this man before your honour for playing a game of cards in the church.'

"' What, that man? said the mayor.

"' Yes, your honour.'

"' What have you got to say for yourself, soldier?"

'"Much, sir.'

"' Good, I hope,' said the mayor;'for if not, you shall be punished the severest that ever man was punished.'

"' Sir, I have been five weeks on the march, and have got but little money to subsist on—to buy pipeclay, blacking, washing, and other things, which is necessary for a soldier to want. I had neither a Bible nor Church Prayer-book, nothing only this deck of cards; so I pulled them out, and laid them before me as I sat, first looking upon one and upon another.

"'So I began with the ace; that is one pip, you all know. When I see the ace, the one, it puts me in mind that there is but one God over you and me and all the world, sir. When I see the two pips, they put me in mind of the Father and Son. When I see the three, it puts me in mind of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Ghost. When I see the four, it puts me in mind of the four Evangelists who appended the Gospels, that is, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When I see the fire, it puts me in mind of the five virgins; there were ten, but five were foolish. When I see the six pips, it puts me in mind that in six days God finished all His work, which He had made and created; and God saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good. And when I see the seven, it puts me in mind that God rested on the seventh day, and God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it. When I see the eight, it puts me in mind of the eight righteous persons which God saved when He destroyed the world, that is, Noah and his wife, and their three sons (and their wives), that is, Shem, Ham, and Japhet. When I see the nine, it puts me in mind of the nine lepers' (or, as Master Loasby invariably pronounced and, I have little doubt, understood it, leopards) 'that were cleansed; there were ten, but nine never returned to give thanks, save only this oor stranger, and he was a Samaritan. When see the ten, I remember the ten commandments which God gave Moses on the mount, on two tables of stone, written thereon by the finger of God.'"

(Here he takes the knave, and laying that aside, passes on to the king.)

"' When I see the king, it puts me in mind of the great King of Heaven. When I see the queen, it puts me in mind of the Queen of Sheba, who came from the furthermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of King Solomon. She brought forth a hundred boys and girls, all dressed in girls' clothing, and set before King Solomon for him to tell which were boys and which girls; but he could not till he called for water to wash them. The boys washed round their wrists, and the girls up to their elbows, so King Solomon, I suppose, told by that. When I count how many pips there is in a deck of cards, I find three hundred and sixty-five, sir; and there is three hundred and sixty-five days in a year, sir. When I count how many cards there is in a deck, I find fifty-two ; and there is fifty-two weeks in a year, sir. When I count how many tricks there is, I find thirteen, sir; and there is thirteen months in a year, sir (lunral, you know, sir). So vou sec that this deck of cards is almanack, and Bible, and Common Church Prayer-book to me, sir.'

"' Well, soldier, you have given a good account of all the cards but one.'

"' Which be that, sir?, " 'The knave.'

"' Well, sir, I could give your honour as good an account of that card as of any of the rest, sir, if your honour would not be offended.'

"' Not at all, soldier, except you make me the knave.'

"* Well, sir, the greatest that I know is the man that brought me before your honour.'

"'Well, soldier, I do not know whether he is the greatest knave, but I am sure that he is the greatest fool;' and with that the mayor thanked him, and ordered him some bread and cheese and beer, gave him a piece of money, and told him to go about his business, saying that the soldier was the cleverest man he had ever seen in all lns life."

---

And then there's a French-Canadian cumulative song that has a similar pattern, although it doesn't discuss cards. http://www.culturalequity.org/resources/lesson-plans/dis-moi-pourquoi-une-childrens-cumulative-songs

Subject: ADD: The Red Deck of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 06:30 PM

Oh, and here's the Red Deck of Cards, by Red River Dave McEnery: https://www.historyonthenet.com/authentichistory/1946-1960/2-korea/3-music/19540000_The_Red_Deck_of_Cards-Red_River_Dave.html (with recording)

The Red Deck of Cards

Performed by Red River Dave
Recorded 1954
Written by Dave McEnery

THE RED DECK OF CARDS
(Dave McEnery)

It was during the last days of the prisoner exchange in Korea,
I was there as they came through Freedom Gate. Shattered, sick and lame.
There in a red cross tent as the weary group rested, a soldier broke out a deck of cards.
A look of hate crossed the tired face of one boy as he sprang up - knocking the cards to the ground.
As the cards lay around, many of them face up, he picked up the Ace and began.

"Fellows," he said, "I'm sorry, but I hate cards.
The commies tried to use them to teach us their false doctrine.

They told us the "ACE", meant that there's one God, the state.
We knew that to be untrue for we were religious boys"

"And the "DEUCE" meant there were two great leaders.
Only two. Lenin and Stalin. And we couldn't swallow that either."

"And this "TREY" stood for three religious superstitions that the Reds would soon destroy.
The Catholic, the Protestants and the Jewish."

This black "FOUR", the soldier boy continued, stood for the four corners of the earth,
where the Hammer and Sickle would soon rein supreme.
There in that prison camp, far away from home, we hoped it was a lie.

And this red "FIVE", was the five points in their Red Star.
Tears were streaming down the boy's face, as he picked up the six.

And this "SIX", the commies told us, stood for the sixth and final wars that America had luckily won.
The Revolutionary war, the war of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish American war, WW1, and number six - WW2.
Now in this war, this cold war, America would be destroyed.

And the "SEVEN", stood for our seventh foolish day, Sunday, which we wasted on our Lord.

The "EIGHT", stood for the 8 hours every day we would have to spend learning to be, uh, progressive.

The "NINE", for the cat-of-nine tails, lashed across our backs if we ever knelt to pray.

The "TEN", was reminded us that out ten commandments, were ten stupid rules that only Capitalistic fools believed in.
That's what they told us.

The "JACK" meant that Christ was a knave of uncertain birth.

The "QUEEN", that maybe his mother was a non-virtuous woman.

And the "KING", stood for our Lord God whom the commies told us didn't not exist.
A dream, a fake, a joke. That's what they told us.

The Heart stood for Christ's blood, all shed in vain.
The Diamond signified the real precious jewel, the communist party.
The Club - the weapon of oppression with which they beat us.
And the Spade - a tool with which we would dig our own graves.

This was the Red Deck of Cards.

So you see fellows, the soldier boy said, that's why I hate cards.
His buddies picked up the cards tore them into pieces and with shining faces, walked arm-in-arm toward a simple chapel in Korea.
[lyrics transcribed by listening. Send corrections via the contact link on the main page]

---

Also:

---

http://www.roughstock.com/lyrics/2008/07/5343-ritter-tex-red-deck-of-cards-lyr

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Apr 20 - 10:50 PM

I have my reservations about the pack/deck of cards, for one, most of the devoutly religious people that I have known wouldn't have anything to do with playing cards, but what I have
never understood is why the soldier needed the cards at all. He had all of the associations in his
mind so why not just pray or meditate or do whatever he wanted to do.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 12:12 AM

I have to admit that as a Theology major, I don't like the "Deck of Cards" recitation at all. It's sappy as hell. But it's an interesting phenomenon, and interesting that even Charles Dickens published it in 1967.

For my sins, I looked up synonyms for "sappy" that describe this piece:

maudlin
mushy
silly
stupid
absurd
balmy
bathetic
crazy
drippy
idiotic
illogical
insane
loony
preposterous
slushy
soppy
sticky

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 04:32 AM

It was produced for sale on the streets. I don't think the religious connotations are that important. The appeal is the way the soldier talked his way out of being caught with playing cards in church. I have a date of 1776 which is the earliest datable I have seen. It was produced in great numbers from about 1820 onwards, all over England and later in Scotland. The earliest printing I have is probably Carrall of York, but Catnach, Jennings, Marshall,Birt and many others a little later all printed it under a variety of titles and in varied forms. Carrall's title is 'The cards Spritualised, or the Soldier's Almanac. The most common title is 'A Perpetual Almanac, or The Soldier's Prayerbook.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 05:19 AM

During the 1960s a Dutch version was doing the rounds, set in the second world war:

Het spel kaarten




Gerard De Vries
Spel kaarten


Het was in de tweede wereldoorlog. Een groep soldaten kwam terug van een patrouille en arriveerde in een klein dorp. De volgende morgen, zondag, ging een aantal van hen onder leiding van een sergeant, naar de kerk. Nadat de geestelijke een gebed had gelezen begon ‘ie te preken. Die jongens die een kerkboek hadden haalden het te voorschijn. Maar 1 van hen had alleen maar een spel kaarten bij zich dat ‘ie voor zich uitspreidde. De sergeant zag wat ‘ie deed en zei dat ‘ie de kaarten weg moest doen. Na afloop van de dienst werd de soldaat gestraft en bij de officier militaire politie gebracht. “Waarom heeft u ‘m hier gebracht, sergeant?”, vroeg de officier. “Hij zat te kaarten in de kerk”, was het antwoord. “Wat heb je daar op te zeggen, knaap?”, zei de luitenant. “Heel veel”, was het antwoord van de bewuste soldaat. “Dat zullen we hopen, want
als je geen deugdelijke reden hebt, dan zal ik je strenger straffen dan wie ook.” De soldaat zei: “Luitenant, ik ben zes dagen op patrouille geweest. Ik had geen bijbel of kerkboek, maar ik hoop u te kunnen overtuigen van de oprechtheid van m’n bedoelingen”. Nadat ‘ie dit had gezegd, begon ‘ie z’n verhaal.

“Kijk luitenant, als ik naar de aas van het spel kijk, dan weet ik dat er maar 1 God is, en de twee vertelt me dat de bijbel in twee delen verdeeld is, het oude en het nieuwe testament. Als ik de drie zie, dan denk ik aan de Vader, de Zoon en de Heilige Geest. De vier herinnert me aan de vier evangelisten die het woord predikten, Mattheus, Marcus, Lucas en Johannes. De vijf doet me denken aan de vijf wijze maagden die hun lamp brandend hielden en gespaard bleven. Vijf van de tien waren dwaas en werden verstoten; de overige vijf bleven gespaard. Zes, dat zijn de zes dagen waarin God de hemel en
de aarde heeft gemaakt. Zeven herinnert me aan de zevende dag, de rustdag. De acht doet me denken aan de acht mensen die gered werden toen de aarde vernietigd werd. Het waren Noach, z’n vrouw, z’n zonen en hun vrouwen. Bij de negen denk ik aan de melaatsen die onze Redder reinigde van de zonden, en negen van de tien bedankten Hem zelfs niet. Bij tien denk ik aan de tien geboden die Mozes op de stenen tafelen ontving. Zie ik de koning, dan weet ik dat er slechts 1 grote Koning is. De vrouw herinnert me aan moeder Maria,koningin van de hemel. De boer van het spel is de duivel. Als ik de tekens op de kaarten tel dan kom ik tot 365, de dagen van het jaar. Er zijn 52 kaarten, de weken van het jaar. Vier kleuren zijn er, vier weken in een maand. Er zijn twaalf kaarten met een afbeelding, dat wil dus zeggen: twaalf maanden in een jaar. Ook zijn er dertien troeven in een spel, dertien weken in een kwartaal. Ziet u luitenant, m’n speelkaarten betekenen voor mij een bijbel,
een almanak en een kerkboek tegelijk.”

Beste mensen, dit was een waar verhaal. Ik weet het zeker,want die soldaat, dat was ik.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 07 Apr 20 - 06:28 AM

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Les Barker's recitation, The Franco Prussian War of the Spanish Succession:

During the North African campaign of the 7 years Franco-Prussian War of the Spanish Succession, a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike and found themselves in Macclesfield.
The next day being Sunday, they went into a church. One of the Franco Prussians saw one of the soldier boys take out a deck of cards, and said: 'Soldier; put away those cards."
The next day, the soldier was taken before the Provost Marshal. The Marshal spoke to the Franco Prussian, saying "Frank, why have you brought this man before me?
"For playing cards in church, Sir.
"What have you to say for yourself, son?"
"Much, sir," said the soldier.
"I hope so; for if not, I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished."
The soldier replied, "Well sir, when I see the ace, I think of what they call frozen water in Cheltenham.
When I see the two, I think of the two stomachs of half a cow.
And when I see the three, I think of the number of horsemen of the apocalypse when Pestilence is having a day off to run in the 2.45 at Ascot.
And when I look at the four, I think of the number of legs on part of a centipede.
When I see the five, I think of the number of trotters on a pig, and a spare one we've got in the fridge.
When I look at the six, I think of the number of votes Norway have got in the entire history of the Eurovision Song Contest.
When I look at the seven, I think of the Ten Commandments.
When I see the eight, I think of the number of trotters on a pig, cos I've just ate 'em.
When I think of the nine, I think of the number of trotters there would be on three horses if they were all pigs and had a leg missing.
When I look at the ten, I think of the number of Lords a-leaping some swine left on the doorstep after Christmas.
And when I see the Jack, I think of the number of trotters on a pig if it's left overnight in a car park in Brixton.
When I see the Queen, I think perhaps I'm in the wrong bus queue.
And when I see the king, I think: What's Elvis doing working in Tesco?
And when I see the four suits, it reminds me how many suits I'd have in the wardrobe if I had another four, and a wardrobe.
When I add up the number of cards, it comes to fifty-two, the number of weeks in the last half of last year and the first half of this year.
There are twelve picture cards, the number of eyebrows on six armadillos.
When I add up the spots, it comes to three hundred and sixty five, and I am reminded of a small bottle of Thousand Island dressing.
So you see, my deck of cards serves me as both a bauble and an Armagnac.
And folks, this story's true; I know; I read it in the Sun.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 09 Apr 20 - 05:40 AM

Love it, Gerry!

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Apr 20 - 11:56 AM

Belated thanks, Joe, for posting Sigmund Spaeth's "Deck of Cards."

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 10 Apr 20 - 02:42 PM

I like the Red Deck as well.

Subject: Lyr Add: I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In
From: cnd
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 01:06 AM

At the risk of thread drift, I'll bring up the song "I'm Waiting For Ships That Never Come In." My favorite version is by Jim Reeves (listen). The song dates back in printed form to 1919, but the original sheet music (click to view) and a rendition in 1928 by Franklyn Baur had no reference to cards, and instead had the song about plays and acting out a role.

After the death of her father in the 1930s, Sophie Tucker, prominent Russian-born American singer of the early 20th century, requested the original authors (though most likely just Jack Yellen, who had written her most popular song, "My Yiddishe Momme" along with dozens of country standards--but that's even more off topic!) to write a recitation for "I'm Waiting For Ships." That recitation introduced the aspect of poker to the song (source). The earliest recording of that version of the song was by Sophie herself in 1935, which can be heard here at the 18:40 mark, which was the first time she performed it on public broadcast according to the show host. The next earliest recording I could find of it as a poker song came in 1947 in the version by Pete Cassell, though the "stage" metaphor remained popular through the 1940s and 50s.

Anyhow, here are the lyrics to the Jim Reeves version (as provided by Google with no corrections by me):

I'm waiting for ships that never come in.
I wonder where they can be?

Life is only a game of poker
And happiness is the partner
They deal you five cards in the cradle
And you play whether your like it or not.

Some get a pat hand to start with
And the game doesn't seem on the square
When you look at your hand and discover
You were born without even a pair.

But there's no use in kicking or squawking
Just pick up your cards and begin
To figure and plan and puzzle
While fate looks on with a grin.

Some take a chance at bluffing
And stake everything they've got
On a little dinky little poor flush
And sometimes that wins a plot.

Others will break up openers
To draw for a middle straight
They know what a chance they're takin'
And they learned their mistake, too late.

Some can't play crooked
Against all good advice
But they seldom get away with it
And in the end they've paid the price.

The most of us play straight poker
But I'll tell you boys it's hard
When you're there with both ends open
And you can't draw the winning card

Now, I've always been a loser
It seems that I never can win
And I'm just a dreamer who's waiting
For ships that never come in.
I wonder, where they can be?

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 02:19 AM

This is too much fun....but I'm still waiting for somebody to come in with something earlier than my 1867 recitation - did it really come from Dickens?

-Joe

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 05:24 AM

Joe, you seem to have missed my post of the 7th 4.32 AM.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: Thompson
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 09:29 AM

Joe Offer, in Maria Ledbetter's journals, which stretched through parts of the 18th and the 19th centuries, she mentions that it was considered a sign of a United man to refuse to drink, because they were afraid of "talking" in drink.

The United Irishmen could be seen as analogous to modern American liberals. They were adamantly against religious sectarianism, and shared a desire for Irish independence and for a more egalitarian society. Founded by Ulster Presbyterians (who were also seen as 'Dissenters' outside the Protestant (ie Anglican) Church, they included people of all religions.

After the 1798 Rising, as you certainly know, there was a bloodbath in which tens of thousands of these people - well known to their neighbours and to the administration for their liberal, nationalist and egalitarian ideas, were captured and judicially murdered or lynched.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: cnd
Date: 12 Apr 20 - 11:12 AM

Joe, I have found the following references:

Brandie R. Siegfried's "Gambling on the divine: the culture of card games in Herbert's Temple" cites the following:

However, the playing-deck/Bible alignment was not always used to the disparagement of the pack. First mentioned as the "Soldier's Almanack, Bible and Prayer Book" in The Book on Games of Chance (1564), a deck could function emblematically to reproduce major scriptural themes, an important use for those who could not read, or whose ability did not include the already archaic language of available editions of the Bible.

I found an online version of the book here and could not find the reference, though.

The World Heritage Encyclopedia's entry on the matter writes that the earliest dated version of the song comes from 1762, copied by hand by Mary Bacon.

In The history of playing cards, with anecdotes of their use in conjuring, fortune-telling, and card-sharping (ed. Edward Samuel Taylor), the author relates that a French version of the song had been published in 1778 and 1809.

Rare book collector Suzanne Schulz-Falster found a broadside dating to 1820 which can be seen here (slide 10). "BROADSIDE. Cards Spiritualized; Or The Soldier's Almanack, Bible and Prayer Book. York, Carrall, [1820]" is the citation. You can see a larger image of that broadsheet here.

"The Soldier's Deck of Cards" Again by Ed Cray is an in-depth study of the song which cites a broadsheet from either 1837 or 1838 (the year of publication was uncertain)

A Hungarian Encyclopedia of Cards: On the Parodies of Catechism Song by Alexander Scheiber cites a Hungarian source from 1846 but writes that a version of the "Twelve Numbers" catechism song was related to playing cards as early as 1766.

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: GerryM
Date: 17 Aug 21 - 09:05 PM

For some reason, the Robert W Service poem, The Ballad of Soulful Sam, appears upthread (From: Songster Bob - PM   Date: 30 Jan 07 - 09:51 PM). Barrie Mathers presented it at the Mudcat singaround yesterday.

The poem is set in the trenches of the First World War. The 2nd stanza goes,

Oh, Sam, he was never 'ilarious, though I've 'ad some mates as was wus;
He 'adn't C. B. on his programme, he never was known to cuss.
For a card or a skirt or a beer-mug he 'adn't a friendly word;
But when it came down to Scriptures, say! Wasn't he just a bird!

My question: what is "C. B."?

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: GUEST,#
Date: 18 Aug 21 - 12:03 PM

This is a BAG. Sam is presented as a very conservative individual with few if any vices. Perhaps in this context the C.B. means 'Confined to Barracks' (which just wasn't on his programme/not a black mark on his military service record).

Subject: RE: Origins: Deck of Cards
From: GUEST,Rob Mad Jock wright
Date: 19 Aug 21 - 09:51 AM

There is another version of the story n which the soldier is caught playing Golf in the church ....
At court he goes through the clubs in the bag and other Golf references....