Blackjack is a popular casino game that rose to prominence in the late 19th century. Its origins are a bit muddy, but it is well established that it derives its name from a reference to the mineral zincblende used during the Klondike Gold Rush. Today, there is likely no casino that legally can feature this game but chooses to omit it from its gaming floor. Thousands of blackjack sites also exist that let its fans enjoy it remotely.
Sadly, there are not a ton of songs that focus on it. So, players cannot blast a playlist entirely dedicated to blackjack. What they can do is mix the music featuring it with other tunes inspired by different gambling genres. Doing so can create a blend that may serve as the perfect fuel for adventures on tables where they hope to hit twenty-one.
Aminé – Blackjack
Adam Aminé Daniel, better known under the moniker Aminé, is an American rapper hailing from Portland, Oregon. He achieved global fame with his 2016 single Caroline, which peaked at the number eleven position on the Billboard Hot 100 standings. In 2018, he released Blackjack on his third mixtape titled OnePointFive. It is a lyric-heavy song that features a choppy but catchy chorus and will mainly appeal to younger demographics.
Ray Charles – Blackjack
Ray Charles is a musical genius who needs no introduction. He is the second entry on our list as he also has a song that fits our theme in content and name. Blackjack is the second track on side two of Ray Charles’ 1958 album – Yes Indeed! Its lyrics revolve around how blackjack can lead people down a road to financial peril.
Kenny Rogers – The Gambler
Kenny Rogers is likely most known for the song The Gambler, which explains that the trick to surviving in the world of gambling is knowing when to quit. However, before he made The Gambler into a hit, this song, written by Don Schlitz, also got recorded by Booby Bare and Johnny Cash. It makes no explicit mention of blackjack, but it is for sure about card action.
Stevie Nicks – The Dealer
Stevie Nicks is a singer/songwriter best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac. That said, this Phoenix-native also had a pretty decent solo career, with her album Bella Donna reaching multiplatinum status. In 2014, she released her eighth studio album named 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault. Its first single was The Dealer, written for the Fleetwood Mac album Tusk but never released. It is a card metaphor about bad choices made in life.
Leonard Cohen – The Stranger Song
Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album of legendary Canadian folk singer Leonard Cohen released by Columbia Records in December of 1967. The fourth song on its A-side is The Stranger Song, a tune based on the 1955 film The Man with the Golden Arm. It explores commitment issues using a card game analogy.
Animals – House of the Rising Sun
There is no doubt that the Animals made House of the Rising Sun famous, but many speculate that this folk masterwork has been around since the 16th century. Other established artists that recorded it before the Animals include Alan Lomax, Jean Ritchie, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan. It tells of a person’s life gone wrong in New Orleans.
The Eagles – Desperado
Desperado is the second album by the country-rock band the Eagles, released in 1973. Don Henley and Glenn Frey wrote its title track as their earliest collaboration. According to its authors, the song was originally about a friend named Leo but quickly evolved into something else. Despite it not being a hit, it has gone down in history as one of the band’s most famous works ever.
The Pogues – Bottle of Smoke
The Pogues were a Celtic punk band that gained international fame in the 1980s. Their politically infused music captured the imagination of many Brits and help them achieve mainstream success. Bottle of Smoke is one of their less known songs that describes the fate of a man who bet on the wrong horse.
Madonna – Gambler
Gambler is a 1985 song from the soundtrack of the wrestling film Vision Quest. It is an upbeat synth-pop single that features electronic handclaps and percussion. Its lyrics, entirely written by Madonna, emphasize self-independence. Even though critics did not care for Gambler, it was commercially successful, charting in the top ten in several countries.
Sting – Shape of My Heart
Likely anyone with a TV or radio has heard Sting’s Shape of My Heart. Yet, what is surprising about it is that few people have carefully listened to its lyrics, deducing that it is about a gambler who attempts to figure out the mystical logic of luck.
About the Author
Shelly Schiff has been working in the gambling industry since 2009, mainly on the digital side of things, employed by OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos.com. However, over her eleven-year career, Shelly has provided content for many other top interactive gaming websites. She knows all there is to know about slots and has in-depth knowledge of the most popular table games. Her golden retriever Garry occupies most of her leisure time. Though, when she can, she loves reading Jim Thompson-like crime novels.
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