Roll the Dice (song)

"Roll the Dice" is a song by the British singer-songwriter Steve Harley, released in 1978 as the lead single from his debut solo album Hobo with a Grin.[3][4] It was written by Harley and Jo Partridge, and produced by Michael J. Jackson.

"Roll the Dice"
Single by Steve Harley
from the album Hobo with a Grin
B-side"Waiting"
Released14 July 1978 (UK)[1]
August 1978 (US)[2]
GenrePop, Rock
Length3:26 (single version)
3:12 (American edit)
LabelEMI Records
Songwriter(s)Steve Harley, Jo Partridge
Producer(s)Michael J. Jackson
Steve Harley singles chronology
"The Best Years of Our Lives (live)"
(1977)		 "Roll the Dice"
(1978)		 "Someone's Coming"
(1979)

Background

In 1977, Harley began working on his debut solo album Hobo with a Grin. Once it was completed in early 1978, he decided to leave Britain and live in Los Angeles for almost a year. A week before the release of Hobo with a Grin, "Roll the Dice" was released as the album's lead single in July 1978.[1] Like the album, "Roll the Dice" was a commercial failure, failing to make an appearance in the UK Top 75.[5]

While most of Hobo with a Grin was recorded in London, "Roll the Dice" was one of two tracks from the album to be recorded and mixed at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles. Any remixing and additional recording was done in Los Angeles as well. Although Harley produced the rest of the album, "Roll the Dice" was produced by the album's assistant producer Michael J. Jackson.[6]

At the time of its release, G. Brown of The Denver Post reported that Harley disdained the song's commercial potential in private. Harley was quoted: "It's 'poppy,' with that Fleetwood Mac-ish shuffle. 'Catchy' is not a good thing in this country. The more AM radio I hear, the more convinced I am that the goal is to bore."[7]

Release

"Roll the Dice" was released by EMI Records on 7" vinyl in the UK, Germany, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.[8][9][1] In America and Canada, it was released by Capitol Records in August 1978.[2][10] For its release as a single, an edited version of the song was used, which shortened the song by approximately half a minute. The B-Side, "Waiting", was written and produced by Harley.[11] It remains exclusive to the single, having not appeared on any other release since.

In the UK, a promotional demo/DJ copy of the single was also issued by EMI. In America, Capitol released a promotional version of the single, which featured "Roll the Dice" on both sides of the vinyl; one in stereo and one in mono.[12][13] In the UK, Germany and Spain, the single was released with colour picture sleeves. In the UK, the first 20,000 copies of the single featured the sleeve. It used similar artwork as on the Hobo with a Grin album.[14]

Following its original release as a single, and on Hobo with a Grin, the song has since appeared on various Steve Harley compilations, including 1981's Collection,[15] 1992's Make Me Smile: The Best of Steve Harley, 1996's Premium Gold Collection[16] 1998's More Than Somewhat – The Very Best of Steve Harley, 1999's The Cream of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel,[17] and 2006's The Cockney Rebel – A Steve Harley Anthology.[18]

Promotion

A music video was filmed to promote the single.[19] It was filmed over a two-day period in the Bakersfield Desert, California. Shot on 35mm film, videos were also produced at the same time for "I Wish It Would Rain" and "Amerika the Brave", both from Hobo with a Grin.

In the 22 July 1978 issue of New Musical Express, a full-page, black-and-white advert was published to promote the single's release. The advert noted that it was "the single from his first solo album", that the first 20,000 copies came in a "special full colour picture sleeve"" and that the B-Side "Waiting" was "only available on this single."[20][21]

Critical reception

Upon release in July 1978, American magazine Billboard listed Hobo with a Grin in their "Recommended LPs" section. "Roll the Dice" was picked as one of five best cuts from the album.[22] In August, Billboard also listed the song under their "Top Single Picks" section, under the heading "Recommended Pop".[23] G. Brown of The Denver Post stated: "Hobo with a Grin is turning out to be his fastest seller yet. If Harley is due for a hit single, "Roll the Dice" could fill the bill nicely. Led by a catchy keyboard introduction, the song boasts a great hook and a youthful Harley vocal."[7] High Fidelity noted: "Right from the start of Hobo with a Grin, on "Roll the Dice", Harley settles for good times."[24] Cash Box listed the single as one "to watch" during August 1978. They commented on Partridge's "strong guitar work", Harley's "good singing" and felt the song was "suited to Top 40 lists".[25]

In a review of Harley's 1979 concert at the Hammersmith Odeon, Kelly Pike of Record Mirror described the show as "a sad, distasteful affair" and commented: "It started as a shambles, half a dozen figures ambling around the stage before tumbling into a less than spirited version of "Roll the Dice", [which] did not make a very spectacular start".[26]

In a retrospective review of Hobo with a Grin, Dave Thompson of AllMusic highlighted the song as one of three tracks that represented "Harley wordplay-by-numbers: clever on paper, but too clever-clever by half". He added: "We already know he's a brilliant wordsmith; does he have to keep trying to show us how brilliant? And does there come a point when he'll stop, and try his hand at tunes as well?"[27] In an AllMusic review of the 2008 compilation The Best of Steve Harley, Thompson commented that the song "deserve[s] a fresh hearing."[28]

Track listing
7" Single
  1. "Roll the Dice" - 3:00
  2. "Waiting" - 2:52
7" Single (American promo)
  1. "Roll the Dice (Stereo)" - 3:12
  2. "Roll the Dice (Mono)" - 3:12

Personnel
Roll the Dice
  • Steve Harley - vocals
  • Rick Shlosser - drums
  • Bob Glaub - bass
  • Bill Payne - acoustic piano
  • Duncan Mackay - electric piano, harpsichord, synthesizer
  • Jo Partridge - electric guitars
  • Fred Tackett - acoustic guitar
  • Michael J. Jackson - percussion
  • Michael McDonald - backing vocals
  • Bill Champlin - backing vocals
  • Rosemary Butler - backing vocals
  • Bobby Kimball - backing vocals
  • Tom Kelley - backing vocals
  • Michael J. Jackson - producer, additional production, mixing, percussion
  • John Haeny - engineer
  • James Isaacson - engineer, remixing, additional recording
  • Paul Black - assistant engineer
  • Ken Perry - mastering
Waiting
  • Steve Harley - vocals, producer
gollark: ↓ you
gollark: You can go divide by arbitrary monic polynomials for all I care.
gollark: Plus CPU architecture is interesting anyway.
gollark: This is quite relevant to anyone looking to buy this computer, which is possibly some people I don't know.
gollark: You can look here if you want to know more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulldozer_(microarchitecture)

References
  1. http://www.45cat.com/record/emi2830
  2. http://www.45cat.com/record/nc786411us
  3. "Steve Harley - Hobo With A Grin at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  4. "Steve Harley - Roll The Dice at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  5. "The Great Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel Story". Reocities.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  6. "Steve Harley - Hobo With A Grin (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  7. "Too British-sounding". Harleyfanzone.com. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  8. https://www.discogs.com/master/view/290926
  9. "Steve Harley - Roll The Dice (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  10. http://www.45cat.com/record/4622ca
  11. "Steve Harley - Roll The Dice / Waiting - EMI - UK - EMI 2830". 45cat. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  12. "Steve Harley - Roll The Dice / Roll The Dice - Capitol - USA - P-4622". 45cat. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  13. "Steve Harley - Roll The Dice (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  14. "Images for Steve Harley - Roll The Dice". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  15. "Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel* / Cockney Rebel - Collection (Vinyl, LP) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  16. "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Premium Gold Collection (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. 29 August 1996. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  17. "Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - The Cream Of Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  18. "Roll the Dice - Steve Harley : Listen, Appearances, Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  19. "Steve Harley - Roll The Dice (1978)". YouTube. 11 November 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  20. "Roll the Dice - Advertising Poster". I.ebaying.com. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  21. "Roll the Dice - Advertising Poster". I.ebaying.com. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  22. Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 29 July 1978. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  23. Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 26 August 1978. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  24. High Fidelity - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1 August 1996. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  25. Cash Box newspaper - 26 August 1978 - Reviews: Singles - page 8
  26. "Hammersmith Odeon". Harleyfanzone.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  27. Thompson, Dave. "Hobo with a Grin/The Candidate - Steve Harley : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  28. Thompson, Dave (7 July 2008). "The Best of Steve Harley [EMI Gold] - Steve Harley : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
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