Gilmore is said to have become interested in music as a result of her father's record collection, which included work by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello, and Tom Waits, among others. At 16 she left home and began working in a recording studio where she was discovered by her now long-time collaborator, producer and sometime co-songwriter Nigel Stonier, who became her husband in a ceremony in October 2005.
Thea recorded her debut album aged just 17 and then entered a spell of productivity which, in the four and a half years from January 1999 to August 2003, saw her record and release six albums including four "official" releases and two cult albums which were only intended for internet release but which have long since been available in the shops. In 2001, with the release of Rules For Jokers, she hit some kind of national nerve and garnered some attendant airplay but it wasn't until 2003's Avalanche that Thea finally began to make significant waves. Avalanche became Radio 2's Album Of The Week and spawned two hit singles including her first certifiable Top 40 hit Juliet. Thea has gathered countless plaudits over the years - "the best British singer songwriter of the last ten years - and then some" (Uncut), "so good its scary" (Mojo), and "Gilmore is already in a league of her own" (Q) immediately spring to mind - but Avalanche was truly a quantum leap forward and "a breakthrough record" (Times) to boot. And you can bet that Thea remains the only artiste to have her under-$50 video shown on Top Of The Pops.
Increasing radio support and acclaim from the music press led to a lucrative tour of the US in 2004, in support of legendary folksinger Joan Baez. During this time, Gilmore was diagnosed with clinical depression and also split from her personal relationship with Nigel Stonier after seven years, although they continued touring and working together.
In 2005, Gilmore continued touring commitments, for the first time not releasing a new album (the covers collection Loft Music was widely released during 2004). In October 2005, she and Stonier, who, in the light of Gilmore's depression diagnosis, re-started their personal relationship, married in a ceremony near their home in Cheshire.
Gilmore finally returned to recording with the release of Harpo's Ghost in August 2006, after a three-year absence of new material. The album was once again acclaimed in the music press and UK radio lent their support to the single "Cheap Tricks." Gilmore has been touted by Uncut magazine as "the best British singer-songwriter of the last 10 years...and then some" and has gained steady acclaim for each of her albums.
On November 14th, 2006, Gilmore gave birth to her first child with Stonier, a son named Egan, having conducted a UK tour in the autumn while heavily pregnant.
Thea Gilmore writes lyrics that somehow combine awesome poetic grace together with a 21st century barbed undercurrent. She also delivers razor sharp missives on life, love, sex, death, politics and wars (both personal and global) and all with an achingly-beautiful delivery which melts hearts in an instant. Someone once remarked that Thea is a hellraiser with a voice like honey and if you get to meet her you will know what this means. Barely out of her teenage daze, Thea was being compared to everyone from Joni Mitchell to Ryan Adams and Tom Waits and now at 31, Thea is going to make you think sweet somethings all over again.
www.theagilmore.net
The Gambler
Thea Gilmore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And once or twice you'll reel me in
What I've got is not what I came for
But I'll keep coming back for more
Come on lay your head upon my chest
The odds are slim but isn't that the test
In this game you either bend or break
Come on lay your head upon my chest
Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel.
Pull the trigger load the gun
The journey home has only just begun
We could rise but if we swan-dive too
Oh I'll love going down with you
(come on pull the trigger load the gun)
Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel
Come on, come on
Come on, come on
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel
The lyrics to Thea Gilmore's "The Gambler" suggest a willingness to take risks in the pursuit of love. The song begins with an invitation to "Roll that dice again, again," which implies a willingness to continue to take chances on love, even if it doesn't always lead to the desired outcome. The repeated use of the phrase "come on" throughout the song adds to the sense of urgency and excitement, as if the singer is egging on a partner to take a risk with them.
The chorus, which urges the listener to "spin that wheel," creates a sense of anticipation and danger, as if the singer is daring their partner to take a risk. There is also a sense of inevitability to the lyrics, as the singer seems resigned to the fact that they will continue to take risks on this love affair, even though they don't know what kind of "mess" it might lead to.
The lyrics to "The Gambler" are ultimately about the thrill of taking chances, even when the odds of success are slim. The repetition of phrases like "spin that wheel" and "come on" create a sense of urgency and excitement, while the overall message of the song is one of acceptance and a willingness to embrace the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Roll that dice again, again
Let's keep taking chances and risks even if we fail, because that's part of the game.
And once or twice you'll reel me in
Even if I get hurt, I'll keep coming back to you because I'm drawn to the excitement.
What I've got is not what I came for
I didn't expect to get caught up in this dangerous game, but now I can't stop playing.
But I'll keep coming back for more
Despite the risks, I'm addicted to the thrill and will keep playing even if it's not logical.
Come on lay your head upon my chest
Let's comfort each other as we navigate this uncertain terrain together.
The odds are slim but isn't that the test
We know the odds are against us, but we're taking this as a challenge to see if we can come out on top.
In this game you either bend or break
This game is tough, and we have to be resilient to keep going despite the risks.
And I don't know what kind of mess we'll make
We don't know where this will take us, but we're willing to find out together.
Pull the trigger load the gun
Let's take action and see where this risky behavior leads us.
The journey home has only just begun
We're just starting to see where this will take us, and we're both in it together.
We could rise but if we swan-dive too
We could succeed or fail, but the outcome doesn't matter as long as we're together.
Oh I'll love going down with you
Even if we fail, I'll love being with you and experiencing these moments of danger together.
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel
Let's keep taking risks and see where this journey leads us.
Come on, come on
Let's keep going and not give up now.
Come on, come on
We can do this together, let's keep pushing forward.
Spin that wheel, spin that wheel, spin that wheel
Keep taking chances and risks, no matter what happens.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GILMORE, THEA GILMORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind