Paul Westerberg's "Dice Behind The Shades"

Will you, would you take a chance on love?

EDITOR’S NOTE: I had just started my Substack when I wrote this post about one of my favorite Paul Westerberg songs that it seems nobody else quite jumped on. This is on his first solo album, “14 Songs” which, was an homage to J.D. Salinger’s collection “Nine Stories.” Or so I read somewhere. I got a few skeptical responses to my ideas about this song which is fine by me. Only Paul knows what he intended and maybe even he isn’t sure. The muse doesn’t necessarily explain things, you know. Anyway, it’s wonderful to get this sort of overwhelming response to your writing and appreciation for the work Paul Westerberg did with The Replacements and on his own. I got to see the Skyway when I was in Minneapolis this summer and hoped I might run into the guy just to say thanks. No autograph or selfie. Just thanks.

Because the siren song of romance almost always has appealed to me, when I heard Paul Westerberg’s “Dice Behind The Shades” for the first time, I was hooked.

It’s an absolutely irresistible song, catchy tune, beautifully - and cleverly - delivered by Westerberg, as unsung and underappreciated a songwriter as there has been. I couldn’t stop playing it.

(Can’t stop now, as I’m writing this - Thanks, YouTube)

Now it’s true, we all have our different ideas about music, about love, romance and of course, I just HAD to share this song, these lyrics, this discussion with my old high school classes. I mean, the kids GOTTA think about this stuff, don’t they? Somebody oughta bring it up. Let’s talk about love. WHAT? In an English or AP Lit class?

Sometimes, like Paul says, you gotta roll the dice.

If you’ve never heard of Paul Westerberg, that’s understandable. He was the lead singer, songwriter and star attraction of his wild and wacky 80’s group from Minneapolis, The Replacements. Their albums offer a bit of everything from wild rock’n’roll (“I Won’t”), surprisingly thoughtful examinations of life’s frustrations (“Answering Machine”), deeply personal introspection (“I’ll Be You”) and of course, a song strictly composed from the personal ads from a Minneapolis weekly (“Lovelines.”)

I got to see them on Valentine’s Day in Ann Arbor, Michigan and it was absolutely amazing. (I’ll post the review here sometime) But after the Replacements sort of self-destructed - something they’d been aiming for since they began - Westerberg did a solo album “14 Songs.” He copped the idea for the title from J.D. Salinger’s “Nine Stories” as I think you can see on the photo of the album cover.

It’s a nice album, a worthy first solo record. But this song is what grabbed me. It wasn’t just because he name-dropped noted writer Carson McCullers in mid-song. Aside from the bouncy, foot-tappin’ tune, it was the message of the song that lit my soul.

Maybe it was because I spent a dozen years in the constant presence of teenage girls and their daily dramas, his “Dice Behind The Shades” spoke to me in a way other songs didn’t. In essence, the song says yes, you're going to have heartbreak and disappointment, but HEY, that's why we're HERE.

To FALL IN LOVE. And in order to do that, don't let age barriers or OTHER barriers stop you. GO FOR IT. No matter what. Which I think is a good recommendation for anyone, particularly high school students.

Maybe even now. (Wink.)

(P.S.: I used CAPITAL letters for them because they don’t listen)

So picture this. It’s a sunny California day and a disaffected, probably heavily tatted and earringed teen-age girl with white plastic sunglasses, ripped jeans, pink hair and a nose ring is rollerblading somewhere, ear pods pounding some cheerful death metal tune.

A lonesome guy, maybe in his early 30’s, is out with his camera, enjoying the sun, wishing he could connect with somebody, anybody. But he’s shy. Taking pictures is about all he can do to put himself in a position to maybe talk to a girl, even a pink-haired, disaffected one in tacky white sunglasses.

And the lyrics begin, sounding like a typical, skeptical teenager.

“Everybody’s tryin’ to make you feel stupid. And you know they’re lyin’ ‘cause their lips are movin’”

Wow! Can’t trust a soul, anybody over 30, it used to be. Now, it might mean everywhere and everyone. Thanks, Internet!

She spots the guy taking an interest, putting her in his frame, so to speak.

“A guy snapped your picture on rollerblades. C’mon, roll the dice behind the shades.”

In other words, INVESTIGATE. TALK TO HIM. Or at least, skate by and ask why he’s taking your picture.

Then Westerberg offers a deft insight about our skater.

“Safer way to be strange.”

The tats, the earrings, the nose ring, the pink hair all add up to I’M ME. I feel strange (but I’m really not.) This keeps people away (not really what I want but do I dare be vulnerable? AGAIN?

“Roll the dice behind the shades.” In other words, TAKE A CHANCE.

Then a great line.

“The avant-gods unlock the door.”

In other words, all the avante-garde at school, the nose-pierced, heavy tatted, ripped shirt, pink, blue, striped hair brigade make you feel accepted, part of them, a member of the counterculture, so to speak. An IDENTITY.

But, Westerberg realizes she doesn’t really WANNA be part of it, it’s just a safe place for her. Deftly, he writes

“You’re taking notes and nothin’ more.”

Then the action happens again. Maybe she skated in a circle.

“A guy snaps your picture on rollerblades. C’mon, roll the dice behind your shades (those white sunglasses!)

Then comes the bridge. An uplift. What IF there’s the possibility of GENIUNE, ETERNAL, MEANT-TO-BE, PREDESTINED LOVE? THIS COULD HAPPEN!

“Take it to a higher place,” he sings, “Where this world ain’t in your face. You and me, Carson McCullers.”

Has the guy read McCullers’ most famous novel “The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter”? Has she? Westerberg keeps going

“Take it to a higher plane. Take me where the action lay.” And this is the cool literary device that I STILL don’t know what it is.

“Open windows, open shutters, oooh”

In other words, THROW YOUR SHADES OPEN. Sort of a pun. Pretty clever for a high school dropout.

Then a reprise “Bet this one is twice your age.” DO YOU DARE?

And Westerberg brings it home with his closing verse.

“The avant-gods unlock your cage” That’s how she feels, caged. The “freak show” lets her out but…“You’re sick to death of the latest rage"

Then the hammer…

“AFRAID OF A LOVE. IT ALLLL-WAYS FADES” (that’s how he sings it)

Finally, Westerberg offers his closing benediction/advice/suggestion or, uh, a DARE!

“Roll the dice behind your shades.”

Give it a listen and see what you think. And, like Paul says, roll the dice when you can…

• “Dice Behind The Shades” by Paul Westerberg