[Intro – airy vocal chops / soft guitar bounce] Oh-oh, oh-oh, Don’t count me out. Oh-oh, oh-oh, I’m gone by now. Oh-oh, oh-oh, Fate don’t sleep. Oh-oh, oh-oh, Ace up my sleeve. [Chorus – Main Hook] I got an ace up my sleeve, The one thing they never see, One bad hand, but I make it look clean, Don’t you bet against me. I got a name I never say, A shadow I can’t leave, One old debt that could drag me through hell, Still tucked underneath. Oh, I run, run, run, But the past still follows. I won, won, won, But the win feels hollow. I got an ace up my sleeve, But it might be the death of me. [Verse 1 – Twisted Fate] Gold light on the table, Red wine in a glass, Everybody wants the future, Nobody asks the past. I can read a man’s silence, I can hear a coin lie, I can see the fear dancing In the corner of his eye. I learned young, keep smiling When the wolves start closing in, Keep a card beneath your cuff, Keep a lie beneath your grin. Had a brother in the fire, Had a partner in the smoke, We were kings of bad decisions Till the whole damn kingdom broke. [Pre-Chorus – Smooth Build] Now there’s thunder in the distance, And a debt inside the rain, Some scars don’t need a story, Some ghosts still know your name. I don’t say I miss him, I don’t say I’m wrong, But every time the cards turn gold, I hear him in the song. [Chorus] I got an ace up my sleeve, The one thing they never see, One bad hand, but I make it look clean, Don’t you bet against me. I got a name I never say, A shadow I can’t leave, One old debt that could drag me through hell, Still tucked underneath. Oh, I run, run, run, But the past still follows. I won, won, won, But the win feels hollow. I got an ace up my sleeve, But it might be the death of me. [Post-Chorus – Catchy / Repeated] Oh-oh, oh-oh, Don’t count me out. Oh-oh, oh-oh, I’m gone by now. Oh-oh, oh-oh, Fate don’t sleep. Oh-oh, oh-oh, Ace up my sleeve. [Verse 2 – Story / Subtle Reference] Back roads, black boots, Two shadows on the wall, One of us could talk through fire, One could answer with a draw. We were laughing through the danger, Splitting trouble at the seams, Till the gold got too heavy, Till trust turned into teeth. I won’t tell it like a hero, I won’t dress it up clean, There are things I left behind me That still got a hold on me. Now I vanish when the heat comes, Leave the smoke where I stood, But I know one day he’ll find me, Like I always knew he would. [Pre-Chorus – Stronger] There’s a line I never answered, There’s a cell I never saw, There’s a promise under ashes, There’s a price for every fraud. I don’t say I miss him, I don’t say I’m wrong, But every time the cards turn gold, I hear him in the song. [Chorus – Bigger] I got an ace up my sleeve, The one thing they never see, One bad hand, but I make it look clean, Don’t you bet against me. I got a name I never say, A shadow I can’t leave, One old debt that could drag me through hell, Still tucked underneath. Oh, I run, run, run, But the past still follows. I won, won, won, But the win feels hollow. I got an ace up my sleeve, But it might be the death of me. [Bridge – Emotional / Dreamy Breakdown] Maybe I was scared, Maybe I was selfish, Maybe I was gone When I should’ve helped him. Maybe luck’s a mask For the sins we dress pretty, Maybe I left blood In a backroom city. If he sees my face, Would he burn or forgive me? If I held out my hand, Would he take it or end me? I keep one card close For the day that we meet, Not to win the fight, Just to lay it at his feet. [Final Chorus – Iconic / Anthemic] I got an ace up my sleeve, The one thing they never see, One bad hand, but I make it look clean, Don’t you bet against me. I got a name I never say, A shadow I can’t leave, One old debt that could drag me through hell, Still tucked underneath. Oh, I run, run, run, But the past still follows. I won, won, won, But the win feels hollow. I got an ace up my sleeve, But it might be the death of me. [Outro – Soft / Memorable] Oh-oh, oh-oh, Don’t count me out. Oh-oh, oh-oh, I’m gone by now. Oh-oh, oh-oh, Fate don’t sleep. Oh-oh, oh-oh, Ace up my sleeve. One old debt, one bad dream, One gold card underneath. I got an ace up my sleeve… But it might be the death of me.
