[Intro: low smoky female MC, over the upright bass] Ante up, gentlemen Watch my hands, watch my face, watch my ear [Hook: low smoky female MC, heavy swung drums] Everybody's got a tell, everybody at this table I can read y'all like a menu, I can read y'all like a label Everybody's got a tell, and I know you know my own 'Cause I paid a year of little pots so every one of you would know [Verse 1: low smoky female MC, behind the beat, unhurried] Thursday nights behind the laundromat, the dryers runnin' warm Five men and me, a coffee can, a deck that's beat and worn Big Ray taps his ring whenever he is holdin' somethin' strong Ellis sniffs when he is bluffin', and he sniffs the whole night long Deacon Price stacks up a tower with his chips when he is scared And the new boy blinks like a baby doll whenever he has pairs And me, I touch my earring every time I got a bluff Left side, little gold hoop, and the boys can't get enough Week one, Ray caught it, and he called me down to nothin' Week two, Ellis caught it, and he grinned like he was somethin' By the spring the whole table knew that hoop like their own wives And I lost about a thousand bucks to keep that hoop alive [Hook: heavy swung drums] Everybody's got a tell, everybody at this table I can read y'all like a menu, I can read y'all like a label Everybody's got a tell, and I know you know my own 'Cause I paid a year of little pots so every one of you would know [Verse 2: the piano going darker] Last game of the year, and Big Ray's movin' to the coast So everybody brought the rent, and everybody brought the most Cards come down, I peek at mine, and I don't move, I don't blink Then I reach up for the hoop, slow, like I'm stoppin' for a think Ray grins, Ellis grins, Deacon knocks his tower flat Every dollar in the buildin' hits the table after that Coffee can is overflowin', there's a watch and there's a deed New boy throws his car keys on the pile and says, "Agreed" [Verse 3: one full band hit on each card she turns, then the swing comes back] First card, queen of spades, and the room gets small Second card, queen of clubs, Ray's back against the wall Third card, queen of hearts, and Ellis sniffs, but not for show Fourth card, queen of diamonds, and the new boy's walkin' home Every hoop I touched was a lesson, every lesson cost a pot A thousand dollars teachin' y'all, and tonight is what I bought See, a tell's just a story, and I told mine nice and slow Y'all just read it like the Bible, never asked who wrote it, though Ray, enjoy the coast, and Ellis, wipe your nose Boy, I'm keepin' both your keys, here's your bus fare, there it goes [Hook: the vibraphone ringing] Everybody's got a tell, everybody at this table I can read y'all like a menu, I can read y'all like a label Everybody's got a tell, and I know you know my own 'Cause I paid a year of little pots so every one of you would know [End]
0/500