Episode 5: The Queen of Spades

Show notes for Episode 5:

“Tales from the Tables” by Bob Woolley
(a.k.a. Rakewell, the Poker Grump)

The “Poker Grump” shares some anecdotes about drunks he has encountered at the tables.

If you don’t know who Red Skelton was, here’s a short biography of the comedian and long-time star of radio and television.

“Little Queen of Spades” (1937) by Robert Johnson

She is a little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be.
She is the little queen of spades
and the men will not let her be.
Every time she makes a spread,
cold chill just runs all over me.

And I’m goin’ get me a gamblin’ woman
if it’s the last thing that I do.
Goin’ get me a gamblin’ woman
if it’s the last thing that I do.
A man don’t need a woman,
hoo, fair brown, he got to give all his money to.

And everybody say she got a mojo
baby been usin’ that stuff.
Everybody says she got a mojo
‘cause she been usin’ that stuff.
She got a way trimmin’ down
hoo, now babe, and I mean it’s most too tough.

Well, now little girl, since I am the king,
fair brown, and you is a queen
Since I am the King
baby, and you is a queen
Let’s we put our heads together
hoo, fair brown, then we can make our money green.

“The Queen of Spades,” Mystery in the Air (originally aired September 11, 1947)

Starring Peter Lorre, Henry Morgan, Maureen Tuttle, Peggy Webber, and Ben Wright. Based on the 1833 short story by Alexander Pushkin.

Here is a description of faro that originally appeared in The Merry Gamester: A Practical Guide to the most popular card, dice and board games of the English speaking world, from ancient times to 1900 by Walter Nelson. And here is that site where you can play faro online, a nifty flash player created by Sean Gleeson.

Download.