Townes Van Zandt - Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold Lyrics






The wicked king of clubs awoke
It was to his queen turned
His lips were laughing as they spoke
His eyes like bullets burned
The sun's upon a gambling day
His queen smiled low and blissfully
Let's make some wretched fool to play
Plain it was she did agree

He send his deuce down into diamond
His four to hart, and his trey to spade
Three kings with their legions come
Preparations soon where made
They voted club the days commander
Gave him an army face and number
All but the outlaw jack of diamonds
And the aces in the sky

He give his sevens first instructions
Spirit me a game of stud
Stakes unscarred by limitation
'tween a man named Gold and man named Mudd
Club filled Gold with greedy vapors
'til his long, green eyes did glow
Mudd was left with the sighs and trembles
Watching his hard earned money go

Flushes fell on gold like water
Tens they paired and paired again
But the aces only flew through heaven
And the diamond jack called no man friend
The diamond queen saw Mudd's ordeal
Began to think of her long lost son
Fell to her knees with a mother's mercy
Prayed to the angels every one

The diamond queen, she prayed and prayed
And the diamond angel filled Mudd's hole
The wicked king of clubs himself
Fell in face down in front of Gold
Now three kings come to clubs command
But the angels from the sky did ride
Three kings up on the streets of gold
Three fireballs on the muddy side

The club queen heard her husband's call
But lord that queen of diamond's joy
When the outlaw in the heavenly hall
Turned out to be a wandering boy
Now Mudd he checked and Gold bet all
And Mudd he raised and Gold did call
And the smile just melted off his face
When Mudd turned over that diamond ace

Now here's what this story's told
If you feel like mud you'll end up gold
If you feel like lost, you'll end up found
So amigo, lay them raises down





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

Townes Van Zandt Mr. Mudd & Mr. Gold Comments
  1. �.... �....

    Amazing

    the aces in the sky

  2. S.... T....

    This is like Algebra, Calculus, Trigonometry and Geometry. This shit is gold. Genius.

  3. j.... b....

    Greatest musician of all time, don’t #me

  4. W.... P....

    check out me cover on my channel fellers

  5. G.... O....

    The guy who introduced me to Townes' music back in 1973 used to play this song. Thank you, Fred.

  6. D.... J....

    I love Townes. If you haven't heard about his upbringing and his history it is absolutely worth ten minutes on google. He was such a human, I know that is completely lost these days. I urge you to look up the story about a young Townes Van Zandt and his lobster dinner. As much as I admire the man, this song is about getting laid. Good for him.


    I have no proof. I just think that he got caught in a Sorority.

  7. P.... L....

    im all in...

  8. C.... H....

    Guitar singing and playing to perfection. Wow!

  9. E.... S....

    god this is awful....run on bs

  10. M.... R....

    Dual pourpose for me
    Raiser's( gamblin)Razors( suicide)
    Thank u tvz& the kind folk who put
    This "heart-break-to overflow"
    Too me, and all, been '93 since
    I played this( and a few others
    W/my pops( best friend)
    While i was young, he'd play
    Silver ships of andilar& a few others
    ) i thot he wrote them until i heard
    The originals❤️⚔️😿= life
    ( lack of love,x sadness= life
    " sorrow& solitude-these are the
    Precious things& only words, worth
    Rememberin'
    No shit, god particle via music
    ❤️thank u for reals

  11. J.... S....

    the first notes played are so pretty

  12. J.... B....

    Townes at his very best

  13. T.... ....

    This is, hands down, the best performance there will ever be of this song.

    T.... ....

    Give a listen to the version on Live At The Whole Coffeehouse if you haven't. The whole album is on YouTube. That's the best if you ask me

  14. Y.... J....

    J'écoute et j'entends du rap! Mais dans les années 70 ....

    Y.... J....

    Yann Jameron Un francophone qui écoute du TVZ, je rêve ?!

  15. w.... p....

    Made me cry too.

  16. J.... H....

    I've listened to songs about card games before, but the personification of the cards themselves is absolutely brilliant. I believe Pete Bernhard gave this tune a better performance, musically, but all credit to the original writer for the concept. Fantastic.

  17. E.... W....

    Damn, I wish I came across TvZ earlier. However, his songs remain also for those late to the party.

    E.... W....

    Just discovered him. Very late to the party but wow!

  18. G.... a....

    MORE PEOPLE MUTS KNOW WHAT HE WAS WHAT HE WRITH FOR US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AND I AM FROM CZECH REPUBLIC,THIS MAN IS IMMMORTAL FOR ME ´=))

  19. N.... ....

    I remember seeing townes live back in '72, Spoke with him after the show, Such a wholesome person, So sad to see him fall victim to drug abuse like my father did, anyway, looks like my times comin' as well.

  20. N.... ....

    Townes at the peak of his substance abuse, so sad.

  21. M.... P....

    The bar, permanently placed
    So many pretenders, equally erased

  22. Z.... t....

    Yeah, and that is why he’s king.

  23. M.... P....

    Townes is a genius

  24. J.... S....

    Love this song... But if Gold bet all why would Mudd raise and Gold then call?

  25. C.... ....

    Super human is what it is. Simple song? A card game... I saw TVZ play the opry house, and saw him Sunday morning playing 6th street for dollars. I lived through those golden years watching this being shattered through light. I miss Austin, I miss TVZ and the duct taped messiah too. Jah bless TVZ! And this is like the most difficult song to do ever! There are sooooo many damn words lol!!

  26. A.... D....

    The crying shame is that we had this and goddamn Kenny Rodgers gambler got the damn radio play. I guess the Same people who voted McDonald's hamburger the best in the world voted for Kenny. Damn shame.

  27. G.... a....

    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu MAN!!!!!! ´=D THX for that giant pencil from the skyes ;-)

  28. o.... ....

    Not a gambling song. It is about depression, suicide, hope, life and God.

    o.... ....

    and gambling..

    o.... ....

    @Ezra Miller Well played, Sir.

  29. o.... ....

    pete bernhard (devil makes three) has an awesome cover of this song

  30. N.... ....

    Like to get my hands on that giant pencil.

  31. S.... S....

    My favorite TVZ song. If anyone has worked this out on guitar I'd love to seen a tutorial.

  32. D.... A....

    this is the first time i ever heard this. started crying. have no idea why.

    D.... A....

    For the same reason you told us you cried. You’re stupid.

    D.... A....

    Roman Brown I’m not sure if you’ll see this comment a year later but give “She came and she touched me” a listen if you do, another beautiful and very moving song by Townes

    D.... A....

    Townes just has that effect on people.

    D.... A....

    When i heard" nothin' .. i cry like baby, as last song pops& i were too
    Play( shortly b4 his flame did fail)
    Quality, if never experienced b4
    Makes me cry water out of my face
    For the first 6 hrs of the" day"
    Happy tears... arent happy❤️

    D.... A....

    Townes tends to have that effect on people. Have you heard waiting around to die?

  33. C.... S....

    "A Giant Pencil From The Sky"
    A giant pencil from the sky Fell on me todayTook me from my sordid solace Put my soul upon displayFor you I guess or maybe meBut I digress it could be threeOr many more in days to comeCould be the last best chance for someone
    Deep in life's unholy mireWaiting for all to expireVainly reaching higher and higher till he sinks down to the truthWhat is the truth now no one knowsExcept what you feel down in your toesUp through your heart and out your nose and into the ethers bosom
    A giant pencil from the sky don't say when she's stopping byJust takes over like good drugs doAnd writes the words that carry you You can't believe what's on the pageSurely you ain't no drunken sageSurely there ain't no one to hear your rhapsody in time
    Till one day you get a callYour toil is done your mountain tallYou can climb it now with just your songsNo longer will you not belongWhen you die they'll cry your name And hear your voice through all their painsAnd never know or recognise A giant pencil from the sky

  34. G.... H....

    Nothing is nothing once you hear Townes.

    G.... H....

    Garrett Harmon and that's a GOOD thing is it???

    G.... H....

    Brendan DeGal well you're talking about SOMETHING... so you wanna' be "Dishonest", or "Confused"

  35. R.... M....

    what is that beautiful blonde guitar he's playing?

    R.... M....

    Russell Makar I believe it’s an epiphone jumbo, I think he accidentally shot it too

  36. H.... ....

    I knew an old man that claimed he had to memorize the whole of "Song of Hiawatha" when he was a kid.
    I thought of that when I heard this song. It would be a double-barreled bitch to memorize.

  37. r.... p....

    wow--love it

  38. M.... H....

    ALRIGHT

  39. S.... F....

    Shakespeare himself could not have written a more extraordinary set of words. What an amazing song with layer upon layer of meaning in it. No-one can match Townes's songs.

  40. t.... e....

    a poet.

  41. e.... ....

    First time I saw him sing this in a little grungy outdoor bar in Austin long time ago and was blown away then and I still am.

  42. M.... T....

    mind=blown

  43. t.... n....

    if I had a time machine I'd go back and listen this with my grandpa

  44. B.... s....

    Oh giant pencil in the sky, please don't let some dumb rapper get a hold of this perfect song and ruin it for us. Amen

    B.... s....

    A great song can be performed by many musicians and subject to many interpretations.

    B.... s....

    very few people (including townes in his last 10 yrs.) can play this song (steve earle and a couple of others). townes said it came in a flash but it took him a couple of years before he could perform it.

    B.... s....

    If you look at some of the word play rappers use it’s anything but dumb

  45. T.... B....

    6 dislikes couldnt think fast enough to follow Townes.Aint it fun being from Texas!

  46. W.... T....

    "came to him in a flash", my ass. Still genius tho

    W.... T....

    I would doubt he was lying. Why would he?

  47. c.... ....

    Just...wow!

  48. S.... J....

    Townes is a wonder. I can't get enough of him.

  49. H.... K....

    Good job !! Podoba mi się.

  50. T.... V....

    Only the best <3

  51. D.... R....

    brilliant!! pencil in the sky..

  52. A.... L....

    Thanks for sharing! Such a talented guy.

  53. A.... N....

    ''That song came to me in a flash.. all at once.. It wasn't me that was writing it.. It was a giant pencil from the sky''

    A.... N....

    Adam Nicholson as a peer too
    Subterranian homsick blues&
    Devil went down too georgia.....
    This one takes it (🎶) too another
    Level, no chorus/bridge,
    One long verse( very fun too learn
    & keep some " genesis" type songs
    And instruments around, sans effects, lights, pomp& circumstance
    ( veerrry impressed& also saddenned , as my pops " hobo/homeless for 85 thru death in
    2011,in which, my father ...
    Just listen too "Maria/marea"
    Same shit went down; too the "T"
    All the way too the travellin south
    Part( he stayed on vancouver isl
    B.c., wasnt allowed into washington
    And I CANNOT GO TOO CANADA
    ( literrally, less than 50 mi by way of
    The crow) last i saw him, i 19
    Now 43& thought some of these
    Songs where written by him
    So when i heard "Flying Shoes"
    I about had a mental breakdoewn
    ( thank you,DONALD LeROY ROBERTS,dad@ best friend, separated by beauracracy
    ( for more horrid than one might
    Think, from 8 thru 19 i usedtoo
    Take coho ferry too see him, alot
    But not enuff
    " harp on begginnig of flying
    Shoes... cry everytime😿
    If it werent for music
    Id be a "spree killing, serial& mass
    Murderrer" thanks for all TVZ/& pops( momma moreso

    A.... N....

    Dude I know what he’s talking about. I had the same thing last week. A song came to me and at best I was dictating the lyrics. I don’t even know what the hell it’s about.

  54. J.... d....

    I come clean

  55. S.... J....

    No other song quite like this one .., a demonstration of songwriting prowess ... Sad there isn't a movie about these characters along with Pancho and Lefty. 😀

  56. t.... ....

    He had the guts to say her name. Good song too

  57. B.... D....

    i think capital letters are generally obtuse, but, BEST GAMBLING SONG EVER!

    B.... D....

    oh yeah!!!

    B.... D....

    lol.... its so annoying usually but for Townes..............- IN HIS PRIME NO ONE FU@# WITH TOWNSE VAND ZANDT IF TOWNES WALKED INTO A DARK ALLEY AGAINST % NINJAS>>> THERE WOULD BE ONLY ONE MAN WALKING OUT ALIVE AND WOULD WRITE SONG ABOUT AFTER WARD>

  58. S.... s....

    45 years ago I was getting bent and drifting along to mr tambourine man, Spanish boots  et all.  now 67 getting bent still to van Zandt, a peer of Dylan and liam Clancy god bless them all

    S.... s....

    you are in some good company there Dylan Townes Liam....just have Leonard Cohen drop bye to round it out....
    Greetings from IRELAND 😉 salamat for this gem we love it when a giant pencil just drops from the sky......

    S.... s....

    Sgtgewart smith hey,you n I have heard glory...Bless u 2!x

    S.... s....

    Beyond addequit by gitar standards
    ) mo fo jams!( every song, i can cry
    If i allow it..... amazing now, as in'75

  59. r.... ....

    BAD. ASS

  60. H.... ....

    Wish I had a giant pencil in the sky. Lol

  61. J.... S....

    amazing, townes is great

  62. A.... A....

    Giant Pencil from the Sky

  63. B.... D....

    I've never heard a bad Townes Van Zandt song... as he said "everything has to be perfect, every song has to be perfect"

    B.... D....

    They all were.

  64. r.... ....

    Damn... that's a mouthful.

  65. J.... C....

    A bard singing poetry.

  66. D.... W....

    Incredible song. I'm going to be on the look out for this DVD. 

  67. u.... ....

    gaddamn.

  68. B.... ....

    Came to me in a flash all at once. That's epic!

  69. B.... K....

    real story song , poetic

  70. J.... F....

    Love Steve Earle's story about this song on the documentary.

  71. l.... ....

    This is a GEM!

  72. c.... ....

    Not if you wrote it, and spent years crafting and perfecting it, I would imagine not.