Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Vegas Shuffle
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heading down the highway
Route 65
Crystal city calling
Champagne and fries
You gotta look lucky
Cool as ice
Roll them dice
Hey, do the Vegas shuffle (alright, come on)
Hey, hey, hey do the Vegas shuffle
Lose your car, lose your job
Lose your mind, lose your shirt
But you may get lucky
Round about midnight
That's when the fun begins
You drink when you're losing
You gotta drink when you win
You see the poor man gamble
See the rich man cry
Show me Jack of Diamonds
It's a hard card to find
Hey, do the Vegas shuffle
You ain't hip get on the strip
Hey, hey, hey do the Vegas shuffle
Vegas shuffle baby
Hey, do the Vegas shuffle
Alright alright alright alright
Hey, hey, hey do the Vegas shuffle
Lose your house, lose your soul
Lose the fridge, lose your cool
But you may get lucky
Some will go to heaven
Some will go to hell
If you're a dirty lying scoundrel
Lucifer can tell
Hey, do the Vegas shuffle
Come on down to Vegas
Hey, hey, hey do the Vegas shuffle
Hey, do the Vegas shuffle
Hey, do the Vegas shuffle
Lose your mother, lose ya watch
Lose the kids, lose you way
But you may get lucky (alright)
In Rod Stewart's song Vegas Shuffle, the lyrics depict the experience of heading towards Las Vegas and engaging in the high-stakes world of gambling. The verses describe the journey towards Vegas, with Route 65 being the highway leading to the city. The chorus is then an invitation to join in on the Vegas shuffle, with ample opportunity to lose everything from the car, job, and mind to the house, soul, and kids, but also a chance to strike it lucky.
The lyrics go on to paint a lively picture of the Las Vegas gambling culture, with references to drinking when winning or losing and seeing the poor man gamble while the rich man cries. The mention of 'Jack of Diamonds' emphasizes the game's high stakes, with this card being one of the hardest to come by. In the final verse, the song's lyrics take a more serious and philosophical turn, describing the potential consequences of engaging in morally ambiguous behavior in pursuit of riches.
Overall, the song offers a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the Las Vegas gambling scene, with Rod Stewart's signature raspy voice adding to the sardonic tone. The Vegas Shuffle, therefore, can be interpreted as a metaphor for taking the risks that life offers, whether they lead to winning or losing, and the importance of holding onto the hope of being lucky.
Line by Line Meaning
Heading down the highway
Starting a trip towards Las Vegas
Route 65
The specific highway taken to get to Las Vegas
Crystal city calling
Calling for excitement and treasures in Las Vegas
Champagne and fries
Luxurious fun awaiting in Vegas
You gotta look lucky
Appear confident and positive for a better chance at winning
Cool as ice
Be calm and composed while gambling
Acting like a rock star
Behaving confidently and extravagantly
Roll them dice
To start gambling and taking risks
Lose your car, lose your job
Gambling has the potential to make you lose your valuable possessions and livelihood
Lose your mind, lose your shirt
You may lose your sanity and clothing due to gambling
But you may get lucky
Despite the risks, winning is still a possibility
Round about midnight
Late night is when the entertainment and excitement begins in Vegas
That's when the fun begins
At night, there are more opportunities to have fun in Las Vegas
You drink when you're losing
Drinking is a common way to cope with losses while gambling
You gotta drink when you win
Drinking is also a way to celebrate when winning at gambling
You see the poor man gamble
Gambling is a common pastime for even those with limited finances
See the rich man cry
Even those with wealth can experience losses and frustrations while gambling
Show me Jack of Diamonds
Asking to see a specific card that is hard to find
It's a hard card to find
The Jack of Diamonds is rare and valuable in gambling
You ain't hip get on the strip
To fit in and enjoy Vegas, one must visit the Strip
Vegas shuffle baby
Title of the song, encouraging listeners to move and dance to it
Lose your house, lose your soul
Gambling can cause one to lose their valuable possessions and even their dignity
Lose the fridge, lose your cool
The effect of gambling losses can impact one's mood and behavior
Some will go to heaven
Some gamblers will win big and achieve success
Some will go to hell
Others will lose everything and suffer the consequences
If you're a dirty lying scoundrel
If you cheat or deceive, you may not succeed in gambling
Lucifer can tell
The devil can see through your sins and punish you for them
Come on down to Vegas
An invitation to experience the excitement and fun of Las Vegas
Lose your mother, lose ya watch
The extreme losses that can occur when gambling uncontrollably
Lose the kids, lose you way
Gambling can cause one to lose their sense of direction and priorities
But you may get lucky
Despite the risks, winning is still a possibility
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: EMERSON LEE SWINFORD, ROD STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind