Album: Roll The Bones (1991)

Charted: 49

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• 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
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why does it happen?
  Because it happens
  Roll the bones
  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 into the world and take our chances
  Fate is just the weight of circumstances
  That's the way that lady luck dances
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why does it happen?
  Because it happens
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  Why does it happen?
  
  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 parallax, you dig?
  You move around
  The small gets big, it's a rig
  It's action, reaction
  Random interaction
  So who's afraid
  Of a little abstraction?
  Can't get no satisfaction
  From the facts?
  You 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 saxophones
  So get out there and rock
  And roll the bones
  Get busy
  
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why does it happen?
  Because it happens
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why does it happen?
  Because it happens
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why does it happen?
  Because it happens
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why does it happen?
  Because it happens
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones
  
  Why are we here?
  Because we're here
  Roll the bones
  Roll the bones Writer/s: Alex Zivojinovich, Gary Lee Weinrib, Neil Elwood Peart
  Publisher: Anthem Entertainment
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 22

• Tjk33 from Youngstown, Oh UsaThe emphasis of this discussion on this song's rap element is misguided. The depth of the song in it's examination of life is much more important. Mr. Peart is questioning why some immortal power would make children suffer.
  This song is so much more than a s--tty rap
• Rolo from HuntsvilleIt's not even an official 'rap' section, Peart on many occasions said they refer to it as a 'The Chat' which is something they made their own which makes it awesome.
• Patrick from Bedford, TxEver want to find the intersection of s--tty middle-school libertarianism and nihilism? Well, friend, you're in luck: this song is for you! If you've already met those conditions, you probably won't mind the super-appropriationist quasi-rap section. I started with high hopes, but this is becoming dire. On to "Face Up."
• Charlene from San Diego, CaI love this song. I love this album. I love the video. This album brings back a lot of memories for me. I listen to it at work all the time.
• Derek from Columbus, OhThe people who think this song is crap because of the rap section are probably the same ones who thought Rush was crappy for trying more synthesizer-sound back in the 80s. We all know how that turned out, don't we? This song is just fun, no matter how you look at it.
• Stacie from St.louis, Momike from canada you are ridiculous!! nothing by rush is a disgrace! its symbolism for those who dont understand it!! try listening to what they are saying! i feel like nobody understands them but me..
• Crizzle from Rincon, GaThe music video (not the one on this page put the actual one) is funny cuz its got a rapping skeleton w/ sunglasses, IN A RUSH SONG. Dat funny bizness.
• Kevin from New York, Ndrap in a rush SONG? WTF
• John from Asheville, NcI'm going to go on record as one of four people on the planet who don't mind the rap section. I think there's kind of a tech-geekness to it. The modulated voice is a must. Had Ged just used his voice I think it might've come off serious...but I think there's a cheeky charm to it. And I love the chorus. I do think the song is overplayed live....
• Don from Franklin, MaAbout Roll the Bones itself, I dont wince as much as I used to for the, er, spoken word portion. But I've always thought it would be better done with a woman's voice - done in a sort of cajoling purr, as if Eris herself was goading you to get out there and rock, and roll the bones.
• Don from Franklin, MaThis album marks my first Rush concert, though I'd been a fan since Power Windows. Its also my 'perfect moment' - the opening of the concert. The lights go down, and the opening chords of Dreamline start playing, then Geddy starts to sing, and then at the point where the song picks up, a massive bank of flood lights bathes the stage and the audience in light. Everyone roars with joy, and for that one, perfect moment, everything in the world is right, cause' I'm a Rush fan and the boys are on stage.
• Sandi from Northbridge, MaWhy in this world would you ever take out a piece of the song? That is like taking out the lips on the MONA LISA...
• Chuck from Houston, TxI don't care for this Rush song, the first song on the album (Dreamline) was the only song the band did all through out the 90's that I felt carry weight. In my mind, everything from "Test for Echo" up to now has been nothing but garbage. I do respece the band's willingness to try different things, that being said, Looking back in hinesite, there 70's - 80's material is worth still going for the show when they come to town. It's a good thing for them they can still play those songs the same way they did when they came out.
• Itchy from Sf, CaI absolutely hate the rap part in RTB.....and I'm a long time hiphop fan. The rap in that song used to spoil listening to that album for me. So, I actually edited a version of "Roll The Bones" on my computer and removed the rap section from the song. The song is just great without it. Then I burned a CD of the album with the edited RTB.
  
• Chuck from Houston, TxThis song would have been great if they just cut the rap s**t out. As capable as the band is in playing there music, rather live or in studio, there are some elements out there that they shouldn't try to touch - ever again - rap is one of them. They could try Reggie, but the Police have covered that area very well for a rock trio.
• Brendan from Easton, CtNo, I don't think so. It is different from most Rush, but it is still very good. And you gotta love Geddy Lee in that hysterical rap section in the middle. Tell me that wasn't funny.
• Mike from Bradford, CanadaThis is by far Rush's worst song and it is a disgrace to the band
  
• Kent Lyle from Palo Alto, CaAlex Lifeson, who hadn't sung backing vocals on a studio album since their debut in 1974, decided to sing backing vocals on this album for reasons which were never entirely made clear. He did not continue this on subsequent albums. It's hard to tell since we are so used to hearing Geddy harmonize with himself, but there are sections where a voice an octave lower than Geddy's can be heard, and the two voices do not mesh particularly well. That's probably Alex. In this song, I think he sings the "We go out in the world and take our chances..." pre-chorus.
• Dave from Cardiff, WalesWhether or not they were influenced by the rap boom is anyone's guess, but Rush' 1981 hit "Tom Sawyer" was sampled by a rap act (the short-lived Young Black Americans) - see my entry in the 'Tom Sawyer' comments section
• Dave from Cardiff, WalesThis song has an excellent video, set in a sewer where the walls are made up of dices. The young boy on the album cover of Rush 1992 long-player of the same name comes to life. The band are shown playing in a cavern just round the corner from the young boy. The "rap" part is mouthed by a skeleton. The video features a mix of live action, claymation, animation, and impressive computer graphics for a viseo that was made in 1992 (the year in which the song narrowly failed to earn Rush their 5th UK top 40 hit).
• Charlie from Thomaston, Dci guess your right, i love rush anyway. incidently, what does existential mean?
• Charlie from Thomaston, Dci think this song repressents rush selling out to a early nindees kind of rock

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