Murray McLauchlan (born June 30, 1948 in Paisley, Scotland) is a Canadian … Read Full Bio ↴Murray McLauchlan (born June 30, 1948 in Paisley, Scotland) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and harmonica player. He is best known in Canada, for his smash hit "Down by the Henry Moore", which was about a sculpture in front of Toronto's city hall, where students met in the 60s and early 70s. McLauchlan has had success in the pop, adult contemporary, country, and folk-music fields, with songs such as the Juno Award-winning "Farmer's Song" (1973), "Hurricane of Change" (also 1973), "Do You Dream of Being Somebody" (1975), and "Whispering Rain" (1979). He holds 11 Juno Awards, is a pilot, a painter and a Member of the Order of Canada, and also plays with Lunch At Allens.

Lady Luck
Murray McLauchlan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I remember shooting craps in Gary's Bar
Watched the money dissapesr on every roll
So I had a drink on someone else's paycheck
Lady Luck you smiled on me no more

On A cold grey night in Erie Pennsylvania
I was stuck in the howling wind
And the driving snow

And I was made for being naked in the sunshine
Lady Luck you smiled on me no more

Lady Luck she's never kind
To my pleas she's deaf and blind
If I could meet her face to face
I would tell her what was on my mind

You know maybe I'm just a fool to curse her
A fool expects too much and asks for more

Just another man in too much of a hurry
With Lady Luck just knockin' at his door.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Murray McLauchlan's song Lady Luck tell a story of a man who is down on his luck, relying on the whims of chance to turn his fortunes around. He begins his tale by recounting a time he was shooting craps in Gary's Bar, losing money on every roll of the dice, and drowning his sorrows with a drink paid for by someone else's hard-earned cash. He laments that Lady Luck has stopped smiling on him, leaving him helpless and desperate.

The story then jumps to a cold, grey night in Erie, Pennsylvania, where the singer finds himself stranded in harsh weather conditions that seem to mirror the bleaker outlook of his life. He reflects that he's more suited to basking in the sunshine, and his lack of fortune is further evidence that Lady Luck is no longer on his side.

Throughout the song, Lady Luck is personified as a fickle deity that refuses to grace the singer with her favour. He wishes he could confront her, to tell her what's on his mind, but he recognizes that he's just another man in too much of a hurry, waiting for her to knock on his door once again.

Overall, the song has a melancholic tone, with a hint of resignation about the randomness of life's ups and downs. The lyrics suggest that even the most determined efforts may come to nought if the stars don't align in one's favour.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember shooting craps in Gary's Bar
I recall playing a gambling game called craps in Gary's Bar

Watched the money dissapesr on every roll
I observed as the money I bet disappeared after every roll of the dice during the game of craps

So I had a drink on someone else's paycheck
I managed to have a drink without spending my own money by using someone else's paycheck

Lady Luck you smiled on me no more
I realized luck or fortune was not in my favour during that game of craps

On A cold grey night in Erie Pennsylvania
I experienced a cold and grey night in a city named Erie in Pennsylvania state

I was stuck in the howling wind
I found myself struggling in the strong and loud gusts of wind

And the driving snow
I had to face the heavy snowfall that made it difficult to move around

And I was made for being naked in the sunshine
I realized I was not suitable for facing the cold weather, instead I preferred to be in sunshine without any clothes on

Lady Luck you smiled on me no more
I felt that luck or fortune was not with me that night to avoid such weather conditions

Lady Luck she's never kind
I acknowledge that luck or fortune always seems to be unfavourable to me

To my pleas she's deaf and blind
I complain that luck or fortune doesn't listen to my requests or needs and doesn't pay attention to my actions

If I could meet her face to face
I express my desire to confront or have a conversation with luck or fortune

I would tell her what was on my mind
I would directly communicate and express my thoughts, feelings or emotions to luck or fortune

You know maybe I'm just a fool to curse her
I realize that I might be foolish to blame or condemn luck or fortune for my misfortunes

A fool expects too much and asks for more
I acknowledge that foolish people believe they can have or ask for too much than they deserve, and I might be one of them

Just another man in too much of a hurry
I understand that I am one of the many people who rush or get impatient towards life

With Lady Luck just knockin' at his door.
I realize that luck or fortune might be present in front of me, waiting for me to make better decisions or take responsible actions to succeed in life

Contributed by Thomas K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS