The Rolling Stones
Tumbling Dice

First of all, there isn't a track from "Exile on Main St." that isn't engaging, energetic, and macho, but "Tumbling Dice" is the one that hits me the hardest, releasing endorphins like no other. Everything about this song is perfect, from the backing vocals to Mr. Mick Jagger's gruff voice, an artist I've been crazy about since I was a child, when, despite my dormant interest in music, I fell in love with "Streets of Love" and "Rain Fall Down," singles from the 2005 studio album by the Rolling Stones, "A Bigger Bang," along with their respective videos. Jagger's stage presence immediately captivated me, and Mick won my favor. Years later, when I began to explore different realms of rock music, I couldn't help but reclaim that never-forgotten image in my mind, of Mick Jagger, thin body and chiseled face, singing words loaded with excessive eroticism from his big lips. You won't believe it, but I only discovered "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" at the age of fifteen when I remembered the Stones and started listening to them more closely. Over time, my interest and appreciation grew for the other band members who had always remained in the background for me until then. Keith Richards' devirginizing guitar, Charlie Watts' metronomic drumming "the Silent," the countless instruments of the blonde Prince Charming, the satyr Brian Jones, and the less conspicuous Bill Wyman on bass.
In 1972, the year of "Exile on Main St.," Brian was already "long gone," and the English band, credited for being the first to combine the blues typical of African Americans with rock 'n' roll—adding a distinctly British sensibility—found themselves in trouble in their home country due to the mountain of unpaid taxes that the five musicians thought had already been settled by the responsible parties. Mick Jagger & Co. were forced to flee in a very literal sense. They took refuge in France, in Nice, living in extravagant luxury in Keith's villa while producing songs for the new album. The band's goal was to earn enough money from the new album to pay the taxes, but the passion was their primary origin and purpose. The Stones wouldn't have survived that financial hell without music, their true dimension. "Exile" is consequently perhaps the band's most authentic work, which, upon release, achieved immeasurable success but also received heavy criticism from both the habitués, the old-style fans, and the conservative segment of the critics. The Stones managed to overcome the economic hardship thanks to the album's sales, released on their independent label, The Rolling Stones Records, founded two years earlier. This was the second album released by the band's fledgling label (the first being "Sticky Fingers"). In 1971, the posthumous collaborative album of Brian Jones and the Master Musicians of Jajouka, a group of musicians from Morocco, "Brian Jones Presents The Pipes Of Pan At Joujouka," was also released, considered one of the first examples of world music.
"Tumbling Dice," the fifth song on the "Exile" tracklist, is the best that a rock lover can listen to. Beyond the classic instruments, piano (played by Nicky Hopkins), saxophone (mastered by Bobby Keys), and trumpet (Jim Price) decisively contribute. The result is a perfect blend of jazzy and blues rock influences typical of the band. Instead of Wyman, Mick Taylor plays bass and masterfully behind the slide guitar as well. The drums heard at the beginning and end of the track are played by Jimmy Miller. Few bands seem so in sync, with everyone (and more) contributing. "Exile" as a whole can be compared to "The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which would hit the market a year later. The energy released by each musician in both cases is remarkable and unique.
The lyrics of "Tumbling Dice" generally talk about a gambler unable to remain faithful to just one woman at a time. The inspiration came to Jagger one day while playing dice with the housekeeper, who was truly skilled and passionate about the game, so much so that she taught Mick the rules. The lyrics were then written based on the music, starting from the riff Richards had developed upstairs in the villa. In true blues tradition, Mick sings of love and gambling, with the boldness typical of the genre, combined with a choral insert that might evoke gospel songs.
"Tumbling Dice" is the perfect synthesis of the Rolling Stones' sound in '72, who found themselves in a period of full creative happiness despite financial problems, or perhaps because of them. There's passion, there's rock 'n' roll. The Rolling Stones rolled the dice and won the pot.