About the song
When it comes to blending rock swagger with vocal elegance, few artists have done it quite like Linda Ronstadt. And with Linda Ronstadt – Tumbling Dice, she took on a bold challenge—reimagining a gritty Rolling Stones classic—and turned it into something uniquely her own. Released in 1977 on her album Simple Dreams, this cover stands as a powerful example of Ronstadt’s fearless artistry and her unmatched ability to breathe new life into familiar songs.
Originally written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Tumbling Dice is a song about love, luck, and the unpredictability of human connection. The Stones’ version, with its loose, bluesy swagger and slurred vocals, captured the raw energy of 1970s rock. But Linda Ronstadt – Tumbling Dice transforms that rowdy original into a tightly produced, radio-friendly anthem, driven by a confident, clear vocal performance that still retains the song’s rebellious spirit.
What makes Linda’s version stand out is the way she balances strength and control. Her voice soars through the lyrics with clarity and conviction, giving the song a new perspective—one that’s bold, feminine, and fiercely independent. There’s a sense of playful defiance in her delivery, as if she’s not just covering a song by the Rolling Stones, but answering them. The arrangement leans into California rock, with crisp guitars, a steady backbeat, and just the right amount of attitude.
Linda Ronstadt – Tumbling Dice isn’t just a tribute to one of rock’s greatest bands—it’s a declaration of artistic freedom. At a time when female rock vocalists were still fighting for equal space on the radio, Linda showed that she could rock just as hard, with style and soul to spare. For longtime fans, the track is a favorite; for newer listeners, it’s a reminder of how powerful a great voice can be when paired with bold material. Ronstadt didn’t just sing Tumbling Dice—she owned it.
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Lyrics
Wo Yeah! (Wo, wo)
Women think I’m tasty, but they’re always tryin’ to waste me
And make me burn the candle right down,
But baby, baby, I don’t need no jewels in my crown.
Cause all you women is low down gamblers,
Cheatin’ like I don’t know how,
But baby, baby, there’s fever in the funk house now.
This low down bitchin’ got my poor feet a itchin’,
Don’t you know you know the duece is still wild.
Baby, I can’t stay, you got to roll me
And call me the tumblin’ dice.
Always in a hurry, I never stop to worry,
Don’t you see the time flashin’ by.
Honey, got no money,
I’m all sixes and sevens and nines.
Say now baby, I’m the rank outsider,
You can be my partner in crime.
But baby, I can’t stay,
You got to roll me and call me the tumblin’,
Roll me and call me the tumblin’ dice.
Oh, my, my, my, I’m the lone crap shooter,
Playin’ the field ev’ry night.
But baby, I can’t stay,
You got to roll me and call me the tumblin’ dice, (Call me the tumblin’)
Got to roll me (yayes), Got to roll me, Got to roll me (Oh yeah)
Got to roll me
Got to roll me (yeah)
Got to roll me (Keep on rolling)
Got to roll me (Keep on rolling)
Got to roll me (Keep on rolling)
Got to roll me
My baby, call me the tumblin’ dice, yeah
Got to roll me
Baby sweet as sugar (Got to roll me)
Yeah, my, my, my yeah (Got to roll me)
I went down baby, oh
Got to roll me (hit me)
Baby I’m down
