As a teenager in Chicago, Goldberg sat in with Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, and Howlin' Wolf. He played keyboards in the band supporting Bob Dylan during his 1965 'electrified' appearance at the Newport Folk Festival. He formed The Electric Flag with Mike Bloomfield in 1967, and later formed the Barry Goldberg Reunion in 1968.
Goldberg's songs (some of which were co-written with Gerry Goffin) have been recorded by many musicians including Rod Stewart, Gladys Knight, Percy Sledge, Joe Cocker, Steve Miller, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Gram Parsons and B. J. Thomas.
Goldberg's first professional recording session was "Devil With The Blue Dress On" / "Good Golly Miss Molly" by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels. Among the albums he contributed to are Leonard Cohen's Death of a Ladies' Man, The Ramones' End of the Century, The Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin, and Super Session which featured Michael Bloomfield, Stephen Stills and Al Kooper.
Goldberg also has produced albums by Percy Sledge including Blue Night (Grammy nominated and WC Handy soul album of the year) as well as Shining Through the Rain, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotton, The Textones plus Bob Dylan's version of Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready".
In 2002, he was featured on the Bo Diddley tribute album Hey Bo Diddley - A Tribute!, playing piano on the songs "Pills", "I'm A Man" and "Before You Accuse Me".
In 2005-6, he toured with the Chicago Blues Reunion featuring Nick Gravenites, Harvey Mandel, and Corky Siegel. Their debut CD reached #2 on the Billboard Blues Chart and received a four star review from Rolling Stone's David Fricke.
On July 7th, 2009 Barry's self-titled 1974 album was reissued with never before released tracks and a restored sound. The album was produced by Bob Dylan and Jerry Wexler.
Tumbling Dice
Barry Goldberg Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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',
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
The lyrics of Barry Goldberg's song Tumbling Dice are about the singer's experiences with women who he describes as lowdown gamblers, always trying to waste him and make him burn the candle right down. He expresses his disdain for their deceitful ways but acknowledges that there is fever in the funk house now. He reveals that he is always in a hurry and does not stop to worry about anything, even though he has no money and is all sixes and sevens and nines. He argues that, as the rank outsider, her partner in crime can be his, but he cannot stay, and she has to roll him and call him the tumbling dice.
The first stanza sets the tone for the whole song, as the singer shares his experiences with women who see him as nothing but tasty prey for their gambling instincts. He is aware of their deception and is not interested in their material rewards. The second stanza reveals the singer's free-spirited nature and his disregard for conventional measures of success, such as money. He sees himself as the lone crap shooter, always playing the field every night. The chorus emphasizes the singer's need to keep moving, and how his partner should understand this aspect of his character if she wants to stick around.
Line by Line Meaning
Women think I'm tasty, but they're always tryin' to waste me
Women are attracted to me, but they only want to use me and leave me feeling emotionally drained.
And make me burn the candle right down,
They want me to work hard until there's nothing left, leaving me exhausted and burnt out.
But baby, baby, I don't need no jewels in my crown.
I don't care about material objects or status symbols, I just want to be happy and fulfilled.
Cause all you women is low down gamblers,
Women are fickle and unreliable, always taking risks and making questionable decisions.
Cheatin' like I don't know how,
They are dishonest and unfaithful, acting like I don't notice or care.
But baby, baby, there's fever in the funk house now.
Despite their flaws, there's a sense of excitement and anticipation when I'm around these women.
This low down bitchin' got my poor feet a itchin',
This complaining and arguing is making me want to leave and find someone else.
Don't you know you know the duece is still wild.
You should know that I'm unpredictable and hard to control.
Baby, I can't stay, you got to roll me
I can't commit to anyone or anything, you need to be ready for me to leave at any moment.
And call me the tumblin' dice.
You need to accept my erratic behavior and love me for who I am, even if that means I'll keep rolling through life without settling down.
Always in a hurry, I never stop to worry,
I'm always rushing and moving forward, never taking the time to reflect or stress over things.
Don't you see the time flashin' by.
Time is passing quickly and I don't want to waste it worrying about the future.
Honey, got no money,
I don't have any money or stability, making me a risky investment for anyone who wants security.
I'm all sixes and sevens and nines.
I'm rough around the edges and unpredictable, not fitting into anyone's preconceived notions of what a partner should be like.
Say now baby, I'm the rank outsider,
I don't fit in with anyone or any groups and I prefer to keep it that way.
You can be my partner in crime.
You can join me in my wild and reckless lifestyle, but be prepared for the consequences and risks that come with it.
But baby, I can't stay,
I'm not willing or able to commit to a long-term relationship or any form of stability.
You got to roll me and call me the tumblin',
You have to be ready to keep up with me and accept my unpredictable and ever-changing ways.
Roll me and call me the tumblin' dice.
Love me for who I am, even if that means I'll keep tumbling and rolling through life without settling down.
Oh, my, my, my, I'm the lone crap shooter,
I'm the only one taking risks and making bold moves in my life, unwilling to conform or follow the rules.
Playin' the field ev'ry night.
I'm not tied down to anyone or anything, free to explore my options and take new risks.
Got to roll me (yayes), Got to roll me, Got to roll me (Oh yeah)
I need someone who is ready to keep up with me, always on the move and never settling.
Got to roll me (yeah)
You need to be ready for anything and everything, always prepared to adjust and adapt to whatever comes next.
Got to roll me (Keep on rolling)
We can't stop and we won't stop, always on the move and constantly chasing our next adventure.
Got to roll me (Keep on rolling)
We can't be slowed down by anything or anyone, constantly pushing ourselves to try new things and take new risks.
Got to roll me (Keep on rolling)
We can't afford to rest or take a break, always on the move and always tumbling forward.
Got to roll me
We need to keep pushing ourselves and taking risks, no matter what happens or where we end up.
My baby, call me the tumblin' dice, yeah
Love me for who I am, even if that means I'll always be tumbling and rolling through life without ever settling down.
Baby sweet as sugar (Got to roll me)
Be sweet and kind to me, but also ready to keep up with my intense and unpredictable lifestyle.
Yeah, my, my, my yeah (Got to roll me)
We need to keep moving forward and taking risks, even if it means leaving things behind or upsetting others.
I went down baby, oh
I took a risk and failed, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop taking risks and living my life to the fullest.
Got to roll me (hit me)
Keep pushing me and challenging me, never letting me slow down or get comfortable.
Baby I'm down
I'm feeling low and defeated, but I know I need to keep pushing forward and taking risks.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind