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Keith Richards has defied death on too many occasions to count. The Rolling Stones guitarist has lived life in the fast lane with cuts and bruises to show for it as a memento of his adventures. However, despite the waves of destruction he has left behind in his wake, Richards is still kicking ass as an octogenarian and shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
Of course, Richards is the epitome of rock ‘n’ roll. He’s devoted most of his life in equal measure to his love of the blues and the post-show antics that come as part of the job description. In recent years, Richards has quit smoking cigarettes, barely drinks alcohol, and leads a fairly clean lifestyle. However, that wasn’t always the case.
Outside of his hedonistic antics, on more than one occasion Richards found himself counting his lucky stars after being the victim of spectacular accidents that could have been fatal. In 1965, during a performance in California, the guitarist was electrocuted and fell on stage, leading fans to fear the worst.
Furthermore, in 2006, while enjoying a relaxing break on a private island in Fiji, his stay in paradise ended in disaster when he fell from a tree and suffered an intracranial hemorrhage. Fortunately, the surgery was a success. Within two months, he completed his miraculous recovery and was back performing live with the Rolling Stones.
While many songs in the Rolling Stones canon epitomize Richards’ well-documented wild side, according to the man himself, none are more appropriate than ‘Tumbling Dice.’ Exile on Main St The track, which boasts a series of signature guitar licks courtesy of Richards, celebrates a party-loving player. Although Jagger wrote the lyrics, the guitarist shares many qualities with the song’s larger-than-life protagonist.
In the liner notes of Back: The Best of the Rolling StonesJagger explained that the story behind the track was inspired by “a lot of friends back then who used to fly to Las Vegas for the weekend”, which planted the seed in his mind to create an ode to the Las Vegas party animal.
The singer added: “‘Tumbling Dice’ was written to fit Keith’s riff. It’s about gambling and love, an old blues trick.”
‘Tumbling Dice’ showcases the best of Jagger and Richards on one track, with both musicians bringing their A-game to produce a moment of magic. While Jagger crafted the lyrics, Richards generated the groove that energizes the track and brings it to life.
However, the two men have contrasting opinions on ‘Tumbling Dice’. During an interview with Rolling Stone In 1995, Jagger confessed, “I don’t really know what people like about it. I don’t think it’s our best material. I don’t think it has any good lyrics. But people seem to really like it, so good for them.”
However, Richards has nothing but pride when it comes to the song. Speaking to GQ In 2008, Richards was asked to name the song in his back catalog that best aligns with his life philosophy. The guitarist replied, “It’s hard to put it into a two-and-a-half-minute song. But I think ‘Tumbling Dice’.”
In a follow-up inquiry, Richards was asked if he would like it played at his funeral, to which he said, “I hope so. As long as I’m not there.”
Thankfully, Richards’ seemingly immortal funeral won’t be happening any time soon, and he will provide many more years of service to the music world. In the unlikely event that that day does eventually come, there’s no track more fitting to commemorate his life than the sweeping ‘Tumbling Dice’.
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