The Deck of Cards

"The Deck of Cards" is a recitation song that was popularized in the fields of both country and popular music, first during the late 1940s. This song, which relates the tale of a young American soldier arrested and charged with playing cards during a church service, first became a hit in the U.S. in 1948 by country musician T. Texas Tyler.

For the set of items used for playing card games, see Deck of cards.

Though Tyler wrote the spoken-word piece, the earliest known reference is to be found in an account/common-place book belonging to Mary Bacon, a British farmer's wife, dated 20 April 1762. The story of the soldier can be found in full in Mary Bacon's World. A farmer's wife in eighteenth-century Hampshire, published by Threshold Press (2010). The folk story was later recorded in a 19th-century British publication entitled The Soldier's Almanack, Bible And Prayer Book.[1]

Story

The song is set during World War II, where a group of U.S. Army soldiers, on a long hike during the North African campaign, arrive and camp near the town of Bizerte. While scripture is being read in church, one man who has only a deck of playing cards pulls them out and spreads them in front of him. He is immediately spotted by a sergeant, who believes the soldier is playing cards in church and orders him to put them away. The soldier is then arrested and taken before the provost marshal to be judged. The provost marshal demands an explanation and the soldier says that he had been on a long march, without a bible or a prayer book. He then explains the significance of each card:

He then ends his story by saying that "my pack of cards serves me as a Bible, an almanac, and a prayer book." The narrator then closes the story by stating that "this story is true," by claiming he was the soldier in question or that he knew/knows him.

The story as told contains an error in the number of days in a year. In a standard deck, there are 220 (4×(1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10)) spots on the pip cards and if it is assumed that the face cards have 11, 12 and 13 spots respectively, the total is 364. A single joker counting as one spot, however, would make 365. A version of the legend dating to 1865, cites the unreliability of existing almanacs as a justification for this apparent error.[4]

Cover versions

T. Texas Tyler's rendition went to number 2 on the US country chart in 1948. A version by Tex Ritter later in the year reached number 10 on the same chart. Phil Harris also recorded a version in 1948 for RCA Victor.

The highest-charting version was recorded in 1959 by future game show host Wink Martindale, and was performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. Martindale's rendition (titled "Deck of Cards") went to No. 7 on the Billboard charts and number 11 on the country charts in 1959, attained multi-platinum recognition and reached No. 1 on many worldwide music charts.

Red Sovine released a version in 1967 called "Viet Nam Deck of Cards" on his album, Phantom 309. Because the United States was involved in the Vietnam War at the time, Sovine's version modified the lyrics to have the soldier's story take place there, instead of the original World War II setting. William York was credited for the updated lyrics on the album.

Bill Anderson released his version in January 1991 and it reached number 60 on the country chart. Because the United States was involved in the Gulf War at the time, Anderson's version modified the lyrics to have the soldier's story take place there, instead of World War II setting. George Morgan was credited for the updated lyrics.

The song was also a UK No. 13 hit in October 1973 for the entertainer Max Bygraves.

The newly published edition of UK hit singles dating between 1940 and 1952, shows the song reaching number 2 for Phil Harris in January 1949.

A Dutch translation, "Het spel kaarten", recited by Cowboy Gerard (real name Gerard de Vries), was a hit in the Netherlands in 1965.[5]

Magician Justin Flom created a magic effect, also based on the song, titled "Soldier's Deck of Cards" which was seen by over five million people online.

A Czech version of this song was recorded on 9 October 1969 in Studio Smečky by singer Miroslav Černý and the band Rangers (Plavci) under the Czech title "Balíček karet".[6]

In 1974, there was a version in German by Bruce Low.

A Finnish translation, "Korttipakka", by Tapio Rautavaara was published in 1976.[7]

Parodies

References
  1. The Soldier's Almanack, Bible And Prayer Book, from "The History Of Playing Cards With Anecdotes Of Their Use In Conjuring, Fortune-Telling And Card-Sharping", S. Taylor, B.A. (ed), London, 1865
  2. Matthew 25:1–13
  3. Taking the face cards at their numerical value there are 364 spots. The joker is counted as the 365th spot.
  4. "Deck of Cards Prayer". Snopes.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Balíček karet - Balíček karet - Miroslav Černý". Supraphonline.cz. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  7. Nissilä, Pekka: Tapio Rautavaaran kaikki levytykset 1946-1979, Tapio Rautavaara - kulkurin taival. Helsinki: Warner Music Finland, 2008. ISBN 978-952-67044-2-5
  8. Russell, Tony (2007). Country Music Originals: The Legends and the Lost. Oxford University Press US. pp. 242–243. ISBN 9780195325096.
  9. "David Frost - Deck Of Cards". 45cat.com. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  10. "The Soft Boys". Discogs.com.
  11. "Gnus and Roses". Discogs.com.
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