Deck of Cards

Posted by Gordon on July 1, 2009 at 12:08pm

The Deck of Cards is a recitative that was popularized in both the country and popular music fields, first during the late 1940s.
Though legendary country musician T. Texas Tyler was credited with writing this story, The Deck Of Cards is actually based in part on an excerpt from a piece of 19th Century British Literature called "The Soldier's Almanack, Bible And Prayer Book" [1]
This religious, touching tale of a young soldier arrested and charged with playing cards during a church service first became a hit in the U.S. in 1948.
Through the years, other artists recorded cover versions, including:
Tex Ritter (1948)
Phil Harris (1948)
Wink Martindale (1959)
Max Bygraves (1973)
Bill Anderson did a version in the early 90s. It became popular during the Persian Gulf War
By far the most popular version of the song was recorded in 1959 by future game show host Wink Martindale, and was performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. Martindale's rendition went to #7 on the Billboard charts in the Fall of 1959.

Subject: DECK OF CARDS (Revised Version) Recorded by Bill Anderson
Writer: Bill Anderson

INTRO

When I first heard this song, I was a little boy growing up down in the state of South Carolina. The song had been written and recorded by a man named T. Texas Tyler. The song in it's original form related to something that happened during the second World War. Last year, early in 1991, when things were going kinda crazy over on the other side of the world, I remembered this old song. And I rewrote the first part of it to fit the situation. The second part of it I left like it's been all of these years, because you can't improve upon perfection. I'd like to dedicate this tonight to all the Veterans, to their families, their loved ones and everybody that loves this country.

SPOKEN

It was a sweltering hot Sunday morning in the Saudia Arabian desert and a young soldier sat alone in his tent, deep in thought. A picture of his wife and children back home in the United States, rested on a table nearby. His mind began to wander across the miles, back to other Sunday mornings, that seemed so long ago, now, and so far away. He thought of home and he knew that when this day dawned in America, his family would go to church, to pray for his well-being and his safe return. The young soldier reached into his bag and he took out a deck of playing cards. He began to spread them out across his bunk. About that time, one of his buddies came by and said, "You gonna get up a game?" No, the soldier replied, "I'm gonna spend a little quiet time with the Lord." "Looks like to me you're playing cards." His friend said. "No, you see, I don't have my Bible and since we can't display our religion in public, here, I brought along this deck of cards." And with that, the young boy started his story.

"You see, when I look at the ACE, I'm reminded 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;

When I look at the TREY, I think of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost;

When I see the FOUR, I'm reminded of the four Evangelists, who preached the Gospel. There was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John;

And when I see the FIVE, I think 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 look at the SIX, I'm reminded that in six days, God made this great heaven and earth;

The SEVEN reminds me that on the seventh day, God rested from His great work;

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

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

And when I see the TEN, I think of the Ten Commandments God handed down to Moses on the table of stone;

When I look at the KING, it reminds me that there is but one King of Heaven, God Almighty;

The QUEEN reminds me of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 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, my friend, this deck of cards serves me as a Bible, As an Almanac and as a Prayer Book."

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


Wink Martindale - A Deck Of Cards Lyrics
Album:


During the North African Campaign
a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike,
and they arrived in a little town called Casino.
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 books 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 were over, the soldier was taken prisoner,
and brought before the Provost Marshall.
The Marshall said " Sergeant, why have you brought this man here?"
"For playing cards in church Sir."
"And what have you to say for yourself Son?"
"Much, Sir," replied the soldier.
The Marshall said, " I hope so, for if not,
I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished."
The soldier said, "Sir, I have been on the march for about six days,
I have neither Bible nor prayer book, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir,
with the purity of my intentions."
And 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 testament.
When I see the trey, I think of the Father, 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.
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 of Knaves is the Devil.
When I count the number of spots in a deck of cards,
I find 365, the number of days in a year.
There are 52 cards, the number of weeks in a year.
There are four suits, the number of weeks in a month.
There are twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year.
There are thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter.
So, you see Sir, my pack of cards serves me as a Bible,
an Almanac, and a prayer book.
And Friends, the story is true, I know,
I was that soldier.