Coolidge's early career was as a backing vocalist, for artists such as Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, and Leon Russell. Her performance of "Superstar" on the Cocker/Russell Mad Dogs and Englishmen album helped gain her attention. She became known as "The Delta Lady" and inspired Leon Russell to write a song of the same name for her. It was during this time that she met Kris Kristofferson; the two married in 1973. With him, she recorded several duet albums which sold well, and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1974 for From the Bottle to the Bottom, and in 1976 for Lover Please.
In 1997, Coolidge was one of the founding members of Walela, a Native American music trio, that also includes Coolidge's sister Priscilla and Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield. The trio released albums in 1997 and 2000. Walela means hummingbird in Cherokee.
Who's to Bless And Who's To Blame
Rita Coolidge Lyrics
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And if beggars can't be choosers till they're weak and wealthy men
And the old keep gettin' older and the young must do the same
And it's never gettin' better
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
All the cards're on the table
You done laid your money down
It's the only game in town
And the meaning doesn't matter
Nor the way you play the game
To the winner or the loser
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
Keep your hands above the table and your backs against the wall
Toss your chips in with your chances .
Let 'em lay the way they fall
'Cause the moral doesn't matter
Broken rules are all the same
To the broken or the breaker
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
The lyrics of Rita Coolidge's song, Who's to Bless And Who's to Blame, explore the theme of moral ambiguity and the unpredictability of life. The first few lines of the song convey the message that cheating or being cheated in a situation can lead to a sense of loss, but it doesn't necessarily mean that justice will be served. The young continue to age, while the old keep getting older, and life doesn't seem to get better. This leads to a sense of confusion about who to bless for the positive aspects of life and who to blame for the negative ones.
The chorus of the song suggests that life is like a poker game, and everyone has to play their cards and take their chances. The winner and the loser are both subject to the unpredictable nature of fate, and it doesn't matter how they play the game. The lyrics advise to keep one's hands above the table, take chances, and let the chips fall where they may. The moralities of the players in the game do not matter, and broken rules are all the same to the broken and the breaker.
In summary, the song's lyrics reveal a sense of nihilism and existential confusion about the nature of life, where the traditional concepts of morality and justice seem to have no meaning or relevance. The song suggests that life is a game of chance, and everyone must deal with the unpredictable outcomes that result.
Line by Line Meaning
If a cheated man's a loser and the cheater never wins
If someone is cheated, they lose, and the cheater doesn't really win.
And if beggars can't be choosers till they're weak and wealthy men
Beggars can't afford to be picky until they have money and power.
And the old keep gettin' older and the young must do the same
The old keep aging while the young eventually become old too.
And it's never gettin' better
And things aren't improving.
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
Who should be praised and who should be blamed?
All the cards're on the table
All the information is available.
You done laid your money down
You've made your bet.
Don't complain about your chances
Don't whine about your odds.
It's the only game in town
It's the only option available.
And the meaning doesn't matter
The point isn't important.
Nor the way you play the game
Nor is the strategy you use.
To the winner or the loser
To the one who wins or loses.
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
Who should be praised and who should be blamed?
Keep your hands above the table and your backs against the wall
Don't cheat, and make sure you're prepared for anything.
Toss your chips in with your chances .
Take a chance and bet everything you have.
Let 'em lay the way they fall
Let the chips fall where they may.
'Cause the moral doesn't matter
The lesson or moral of the game is not important.
Broken rules are all the same
Breaking the rules or cheating doesn't matter.
To the broken or the breaker
To the one who cheated or the one who was cheated.
Who's to bless and who's to blame?
Who should be praised and who should be blamed?
Writer(s): Kris Kristofferson
Contributed by Aiden Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.