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Roll The Bones Lyrics
Well, you can stake that claim --
Good work is the key to good fortune
Winners take that praise
Losers seldom take that blame
If they don't take that game
And sometimes the winner takes nothing
We draw our own designs
But fortune has to make that frame
We go out in the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones
Why are we here?
Because we're here
Roll the bones
Why does it happen?
Because it happens
Roll the bones
Faith is cold as ice --
Why are little ones born only to suffer
For the want of immunity
Or a bowl of rice?
Well, who would hold a price
On the heads of the innocent children
If there's some immortal power
To control the dice?
We come in to the world and take our chances
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones
Jack, relax.
Get busy with the facts.
No zodiacs or almanacs,
No maniacs in polyester slacks.
Just the facts.
Gonna kick some gluteus max.
It's a paralax, you dig?
You move around
The small gets big. It's a rig
It's action -- reaction
Random interaction.
So who's afraid
Of little abstraction
Can't get no satisfaction
From the facts?
You'd better run, homeboy
A fact's a fact
From Nome to Rome, boy.
What's the deal? Spin the wheel.
If the dice are hot -- take a shot.
Play your cards. Show us what you got --
What you're holding.
If the cards are cold
Don't go folding.
Lady Luck is golden;
She favors the bold. That's cold
Stop throwing stones --
The night has a thousand saxaphones.
So get out there and rock,
And roll the bones.
Get busy!
Good work is the key to good fortune
Winners take that praise
Losers seldom take that blame
If they don't take that game
And sometimes the winner takes nothing
We draw our own designs
But fortune has to make that frame
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones
Because we're here
Roll the bones
Why does it happen?
Because it happens
Roll the bones
Why are little ones born only to suffer
For the want of immunity
Or a bowl of rice?
Well, who would hold a price
On the heads of the innocent children
If there's some immortal power
To control the dice?
Fate is just the weight of circumstances
That's the way that lady luck dances
Roll the bones
Get busy with the facts.
No zodiacs or almanacs,
No maniacs in polyester slacks.
Just the facts.
Gonna kick some gluteus max.
It's a paralax, you dig?
You move around
The small gets big. It's a rig
It's action -- reaction
Random interaction.
So who's afraid
Of little abstraction
Can't get no satisfaction
From the facts?
You'd better run, homeboy
A fact's a fact
From Nome to Rome, boy.
If the dice are hot -- take a shot.
Play your cards. Show us what you got --
What you're holding.
If the cards are cold
Don't go folding.
Lady Luck is golden;
She favors the bold. That's cold
Stop throwing stones --
The night has a thousand saxaphones.
So get out there and rock,
And roll the bones.
Get busy!
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Roll the bones is about taking chances and not sitting on ones laurels and waiting for things to happen. Ya gotta grab life by the cahones and squeeze if you want anything
-nemt
"Is it just me, or is the voice used for the latter part of the song VERY gay?"
Well, nemt, yes. It probably is 'just you' who think's that. Aside from your personal right to an opinion, I don't see how the word 'gay' can be used so blatantly in defining a Rush song, or a part of it.
I'm really getting sick of these narrow-headed neanderthals like yourself who generalize everything they dislike with a false and ridiclious stereotype against homosexuals. You, nemt, should go browse through a dictionary and fill your vocabulary with something other that bullshit.
Anywho.
Rockin' song! Love the rapping by Geddy. Can't wait for the new album!
I don't mind the hip-hop part. Alex is doing the faint solo in the background, so it kind of makes it still okay with me. I see in the voice, though, that the theme of god and religion, it is kind of like God talking -- the big voice.
I feel like the section about the children is referencing The Children's Crusade.
This is a powerful song. Very strong lyrics. Geddy Lee is certainly the voice of the rapper; not only have I've seen it brought up in in text and see Geddy mention it in interviews, but I myself have manipulated the pitch of the song and was able to hear the original recording.
Very well put. This song makes me want to just go out and do something crazy.
Makes me want to fire up the old bass and play!
I agree with 'lerxstgk' here. Especially with the part of the song that starts, "Faith is as cold as ice..." it certainly suggests athiesm. The idea that there is no ultimate entitiy/God to shape our lives is certainly present in this song.
This would be my favorite song if it werent for the fucking hip hop nonsense.
I agree with Z22 I this the song is great...but I hate the hip hop part...its just...well...its not Rush
I love the rest of the song though. I like the message...to take chances in life and live by the moment...stop asking why...just go with flow... and the beat of the song is amazing
but...just that stupid voice that comes in late of the song makes this one of my least favorite Rush songs...I've heard A LOT of Rush songs and all the ones I've heard I have loved! That voice though...ahhh...just makes this song go towards the bottom of my favorite Rush songs
The theme of the entire song and its accompanying album are about atheism and humanity's wishing for order when none exists. This song in particulary describes the real randomness of life and juxtaposed this against humans' various religious and quasi-religious activities (zodiac, faith, etc.). Peart puts it plainly, "We draw our own designs...Fate is just the weight of circumstances."
There is no god or gods and Peart is simply reflecting this reality.