Recordings:
* Leprechauns Are Upon Me (1959 as Dory Langdon)
* On My Way to Where (1970) - United Artists
* Reflections in a Mud Puddle/Taps Tremors and Time Steps (1971) - United Artists
* Mythical Kings and Iguanas (1971) - United Artists
* Mary C. Brown and the Hollywood Sign (1972) - United Artists
* Dory Previn (1974) - Warner Bros
* We're Children of Coincidence and Harpo Marx (1976) - Warner Bros
* "Dory & Andre Previn (1983)
* "Planet Blue" - (2002)
The Game
Dory Previn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aware of tricks
I do not want to see
I do not want to see
The bets are placed
The loaded dice make three
And no one sees but me
Does no one see but me?
The roulette wheel
Goes round and round
And stops a bit too short
It's made to stop too short
It's built to stop too short
The chips are down
The croupier laughs
And calls a cheated player sport
He laughs and calls him sport
And the sport laughs with him
The sport laughs with him
There are no clocks
Upon the gilded walls
The drapes are drawn
In everlasting night
"we never close"
The neon light
Blinks at the sky
"we run an honest house"
The advertisements lie
For i have chanced to glimpse
Behind the imitation
Antique mirror
And i have seen the pupil
Of the boss's
Spying eye
Pontius pilate's soldiers
Gambled at the bottom of the cross
Even his ragged robe was lost
So would you kinda care
To tell me boss
What chance have we?
What chance have we?
Would you kinda care
To tell me boss?
I watch the game
And if i play
I know i'll go for broke
It must be go for broke
The game is fixed
It's just a
Funny
Foolish
Never ending joke
A never ending joke
The dealer winks
And beckons
With a toothless
Taunting grin
I know i cannot win
The game is fixed
Okay all right
Okay all right
Okay all right
God damn it
Deal
Me
In.
The song "The Game" by Dory Previn is a poignant commentary on the corrupt systems that exist in society, particularly the gambling industry. The title of the song pays homage to the idea of life as a game in which the player is often unaware of the rules, which are rigged in someone else's favour. The song is a narrative of the singer observing the workings of the game, aware of the tricks, but powerlessly watching the game unfold before her. Previn makes good use of metaphors such as the loaded dice, palmed cards, and roulette wheel to illustrate how the game is fixed against the player, and that winning is only possible if one is willing to go 'for broke.'
Previn also illuminates the magnetic allure of the gambling industry, which lures players through the use of flashy neon lights and the promise of an honest game. However, as the song progresses, the singer's observations reveal that this world is hollow, with no clocks on gilded walls, and advertisements that lie. The corrupt nature of the game is exposed, as even the croupier is shown to cheat, and players lose everything until they are forced to become the butt of the joke. True to her style, Previn uses beautiful and evocative language to convey her message that the game is fixed, life is a game, but one that we must all engage in.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch the game
I observe everything that happens in the game
Aware of tricks
I am conscious of the deceitful moves
I do not want to see
I choose to ignore certain aspects of the game
A card is palmed
One of the players is secretly holding onto a card
The bets are placed
The players have put forward their wagers
The loaded dice make three
The game is rigged with weighted dice that always result in three
And no one sees but me
I am the only one aware of this dishonest behavior
Does no one see but me?
I wonder why others are oblivious to the deception
The roulette wheel
The spinning wheel involved in the game of chance
Goes round and round
The wheel keeps on moving in a circular motion
And stops a bit too short
It halts just shy of the intended mark, which is not a coincidence
It's made to stop too short
The device is intentionally made to cease rotation earlier than expected
It's built to stop too short
The design includes a mechanism that causes the spinning force to stall prematurely
The chips are down
The wagers have been placed onto the betting table
The croupier laughs
The dealer is amused by the game proceedings
And calls a cheated player sport
He makes light of one of the participants who has been robbed
He laughs and calls him sport
The dealer derives pleasure from deriding the victim
And the sport laughs with him
The victim is coerced into joining in with the laughable act
There are no clocks
The casino does not advertise what the time is
Upon the gilded walls
On the elaborate, shiny walls of the casino
The drapes are drawn
The curtains are closed to hide the outside world
In everlasting night
The entire venue is perpetually in darkness
"we never close"
The establishment operates at all times
The neon light
The bright commercial fixture whose letters spell out the casino name
Blinks at the sky
Flashes its illumination towards the heavens
"we run an honest house"
The advertisements claim that the casino upholds principles of integrity
The advertisements lie
The commercial messages are false and misleading
For i have chanced to glimpse
I was fortunate enough to have caught a candid view
Behind the imitation Antique mirror
Behind the facade that pretends to be a valuable old mirror
And i have seen the pupil
I witnessed the reflection of the eyeball
Of the boss's Spying eye
Of the manager's secret surveillance camera
Pontius pilate's soldiers
The soldiers that served under the famous Roman Governor
Gambled at the bottom of the cross
They took part in a game of chance while guarding Jesus Christ's crucifixion site
Even his ragged robe was lost
Not even the clothes of the crucified man were spared in the gambling frenzy
So would you kinda care
Could you be so kind as to answer
To tell me boss
Please inform me, sir
What chance have we?
What is the possibility of winning?
I watch the game
I'm a spectator of the game's proceedings
And if i play
If I end up participating in the game
I know I'll go for broke
I am aware that I'll be risking all my money
It must be go for broke
Losing is not an option or choice
The game is fixed
It's predetermined who the winner of the game will be
It's just a Funny Foolish Never ending joke
The game is laughable, crazy, continues without end, and has no real meaning or purpose
A never ending joke
The game is a hysterical farce that carries on indefinitely
The dealer winks
The dealer signals by forcefully shutting one eye
And beckons
He signals with a nod, wave or motion
With a toothless Taunting grin
Smiling broadly with no teeth as a means of provoking a reaction
I know i cannot win
I understand there's no way I'll emerge victorious
The game is fixed
The outcome has already been determined before it even starts
Okay all right
I agree, everything is fine
Okay all right
Yes, yes, I hear you
Okay all right
Understood, let's do it
God damn it
An exclamation of frustration and annoyance
Deal
Start the game by dealing the first set of cards to players
Me
Indicates a desire to participate or be involved in the game
In.
Request to join in the current game
Contributed by Wyatt H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
thefen1
Another superb cut of Dorys. She really nails it. Thanks for uploading it.
Arleen Butner
Is this the best song of my time?
Possibly not. I don’t know. Yet, it is the most well crafted honest song I have ever encountered. RIP
jackhillty
haven't heard this in years - still great and true. I think of this song every time I walk into a casino. or think about life. deal me in.
M K
It's perfect!! So grateful to find her music here. Wore out my tape cassette decades ago.
bugerlugs63
You're welcome . . . It's great to know someone else is enjoying it. I'll fiinsh putting the album on here soon.
Bobby Gookin
I'm totally in love with Dory!
bernie oleary
Thanks for the memories, much appreciated.
Ozzy Ruiz
thanks so much for uploading this
Richard Escarcega
❤️