Music and Casino: An Inextricable Link

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Casinos are often associated with excitement and glamour. As a result, the entertainment industry has long drawn inspiration from the gambling business, with many movies and tv shows being set in casinos or their plots featuring this popular form of leisure.

Music is no different and, in fact, many artists have been inspired or influenced by the casino atmosphere when composing songs. In this article, we will explore this curious connection between musical art and gambling.

While nowadays it is quite common for casino games, bingo rooms, or virtual slots to draw inspiration from songs, famous bands, and their image, gambling has also inspired other mediums in the entertainment industry.

Several artists have featured themes related to gambling in their songs, establishing a symbiotic relationship between the two. As a result, many fans of music and gambling have found the ultimate fusion of these two worlds. For example, companies like Bada Bingo combine club nights, live performances, music, and dancing, with bingo. This is a popular combination that enables long-established games like bingo to remain relevant and is just one example of the inextricable link between gambling and music.

Casino-inspired Music

The prime example of this phenomenon is, of course, Elvis Presley. The King has always been linked to Las Vegas, whether it be through his residencies at different casinos and hotels in the City of Sin, or Viva Las Vegas (both the movie and the song). Over the years, Elvis has become synonymous with Las Vegas, and the city has also adopted him as its ultimate idol.

Frank Sinatra, a contemporary of Elvis but still popular to this day is often associated with New York City through the song New York, New York, but in reality, he was also a regular in Las Vegas with one of his signature songs, Luck Be a Lady, featuring the themes of betting and love.

The metaphor of love as a game is also famously present in the lyrics of ABBA’s song, The Winner Takes It All. The tune addresses divorce as a poker game in which the winner collects all the gains, with several passages directly referencing poker and craps.

This trend has lasted through the years, re-emerging in 2007 in Amy Winehouse’s track Love is a Losing Game, which references blackjack and gaming odds in the form of a heartfelt ballad. However, one year later, the most notorious song to feature gambling themes in recent years was released, none other than Poker Face by Lady Gaga. The song hints at card games, but it also establishes a connection between the rules of poker and those of love.

The most obvious connection here is the idea of a lover trying to keep their poker face, an attempt to throw off other players, by hiding away any emotion or feeling when playing poker.

Lastly, with the rise of online casinos and their immense popularity, it is certain that popular culture will continue to find inspiration in gambling. Additionally, if you’re seeking inspiration while gambling at home you can always create a new playlist featuring some of the songs mentioned above to create some atmosphere while you play.