Jump to content

Country Music Icon Kenny Rogers Dies at 81


clapclapclap

Recommended Posts

CSB: Growing up I didn’t like country music, but Kenny Rogers was a big part of one of my favorite memories.  The summer of 1980, right before I turned 14, I took a two month road trip with my parents.  We left Garwood, TX in a 1979 Buick Limited, drove to New Orleans, then to North Carolina, D.C., and up to New York, visiting friends and relatives, and then back home.  We had four 8-track tapes to listen to when radio stations were shitty.  One of them was The Gambler.  I knew that whole fucking album by heart at the end of the trip.  RIP Kenny.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Back in KR's heyday, my FIL bought tickets for my MIL, wife and her 2 sisters to see KR at the old Charlotte Coliseum.  They get in the family truckster and make it over to the venue, and notice there was nobody in the parking lot.  

Security guard asks them what they were doing.  "Here to see Kenny!" they exclaim.  Security guard says, "uh, the concert was last night." 

The womenfolk have never forgiven FIL.

Kenny, the dealing's done and now there's time enough for counting, buddy.  You had a nice run. 

RIP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Because of The Gambler, I mentally declared him a cheesedick sometime in the late 70s or early 80s.

Islands in the Stream did little to change this conclusion.

Then Cake covered Ruby, and Just Dropped In in Lebowski, and I revised my opinion some.

RIP.

Edited by TwiceHorn
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, bluto said:

The gambler character was a total dick... he offers some bullshit advice for a taste of the guys whiskey then chugs it. Guy bums a smoke while incoherently rambling some obvious shit life advice. Then just passes out dies.

Fixed it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems pretty clear the gambler died-
 
And the best that you can hope for is to die
in your sleep
And when he finished speakin'
He turned back toward the window
Crushed out his cigarette
And faded off to sleep
And somewhere in the darkness
The gambler he broke even
But in his final words

I found an ace that I could keep
 
I remember as a kid asking my dad what "they took turns with Becky" meant .  Awkward silence.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, bluto said:


Assuming you’re referring to the song, 100% it’s him dying? I’ve leaned towards sleeping but had a sliver of doubt.

Well, I've always felt that's what it was saying.  Apparently there is an episode of the Muppets where KR sings "The Gambler" and at the end the soul of the gambler rises up and flies away, so that's probably a clue, too.  I haven't tried to find it, though.  Might take me 6 seconds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

Well, I've always felt that's what it was saying.  Apparently there is an episode of the Muppets where KR sings "The Gambler" and at the end the soul of the gambler rises up and flies away, so that's probably a clue, too.  I haven't tried to find it, though.  Might take me 6 seconds.

I remember watching that back in the day.  A memory I probably never would have retrieved but for the Surl.  Extra commentary from Don Henley below.

Quote

The Eagles’ Don Henley recalls how Kenny Rogers ‘took a gamble on me’ 

Henley opens up about his chance meeting with Rogers on Dallas’ McKinney Avenue that helped launch his career, and his final visit with the country star six weeks ago.

 

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2020/03/21/the-eagles-don-henley-recalls-how-kenny-rogers-took-a-gamble-on-me/

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/23/2020 at 11:00 AM, Chad Fuck said:

I remember watching that back in the day.  A memory I probably never would have retrieved but for the Surl.  Extra commentary from Don Henley below.

 

 

https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/music/2020/03/21/the-eagles-don-henley-recalls-how-kenny-rogers-took-a-gamble-on-me/

That article has a video from Dolly Parton, seeing her get emotional was rough to watch. She's old too and I imagine it's hard to watch your friends pass away, probably gets your mind to thinking about your own mortality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...