I'm a bit surprised this hasn't come up yet, as it's really high in the rankings and Katie is featuring the song in her concerts this year. Dirty Dice is a track from the Pictures album. I prefer this version to the accoustic version she is playing live, although they're both great. Katie wrote this song with Andrea McEwan. It features great lines like: 'so you really think you're leading when we tango 'cross the floor? It's only cos my feet are out of sight. Mine is the hand that spins you round..'



Got an angel, on one shoulder and a devil on the other,
And his good advice that I take.
I live with a sprinkle of a little sin,
When the world is asleep I’m awake.

With the roll of my dirty dice,
I’m only following the devil’s advice.
I’ll take your love and leave my kind regards,
But I never cheat at cards.

So you really think you’re leading,
When we tango across the floor.
It’s only cause my feet are out of sight.
Mine is the hand that spins you round,
Then it pushes you out into the night.

With the roll of my dirty dice,
I’m only following the devil’s advice.
I’ll take your love and leave my kind regards,
But I never cheat at cards.

With the roll of my dirty dice,
I’m only following the devil’s advice.
I’ll take your love and leave my kind

One of the best song of Pictures, definitely !
I love her phrasing in this song, it's just brilliant

Immediately catchy, I love this the first time I heard it. There's much to like about this song, and my favourite are the trumpets and bass. Katie's voice is very sultry and dangerously seductive, like the little devil on your shoulder whispering lascivious, lecherous thoughts into your brain.

At 2:40 she holds the word "card" and stretches the vocalization for twenty seconds. Fine, detailed vocal work. Bravo Katie!

I'm surprised too the thread hasn't come out before...

I quite agree with the lyrics, cheating at cards should be punished! But I don't follow the devil's advice, obviously (Because I never met him)

DD is a really song pointing out the diversity of the Pictures album, and Katie's voice suits it perfectly. It's like she's singing tenderly to one's ear, but making clear that she won't be too easy to please and get along with... (I hope I make myself clear )

I have said it many times and I will say it again: for this is the WEAKEST song in Pictures...but I can't understand why!

When I fisrt heard the album, every song have a sparkle, a "Melua-touch" if you like. When I heard this one, it just wasn't there at all. It's not the spaguetti-western theme (I do like the horn arragements here), nor the lyrics (slowly growing onme the more i hear it, aprticularly the chorus). It's just that I didn't get the same vibe as ther est of the albulm or her other songs. To me something is missing, but I cannot put my finger on it. Hence my bewilderment when critics and fans hail it as one of the albums highlights.

PS: I did like the acoustic version she does on tour, but I still would prefer Befalst on the setlist any day of the week.

Seriously? It is amazing how tastes vary so much. I think it's a song with a lot of depth and originality.

What surprises me is that I think there are really worse songs than Dirty Dice in Pictures album... Definitely.

Yes, if you downlioaded the album there is Cherry Moon.

You're not wrong but I wasn't talking about this one Actually, except PC, WISOTT and WIMAY, I think that all the others Pictures songs are worse than Dirty Dice...

In My Secret Life worse than Dirty Dice?
NOT IN MY BOOK!!!!!!!

… nor “It’s All In My Head” and “Mary Pickford” either.

I love this song, since the first time i´ve heard it.

Dirty Dice and WIMAY are the best Songs from Pictures.

I don't know why, but when I read these lines I just wanna say: "Thank you Katie Melua. Bless you."

It´s definitely one of my favourite songs from pictures. But what do I say, pictures has a lot of favourite songs for me
But I really like the song. And I like the acoustic version Katie played during her tour, too !

Really? For me that doesn't work at all without the trumpet. The acoustic version of Dirty Dice was the weakest song of her setlist for me, the only one I really didn't like. OK, that one and Scary films maybe which I do not like on the album either.

No, I'm not so keen on the accoustic version either.

Really, yes. It seems to be a metter of taste. I myself like the version of Dirty Dice she played during her tour. And I like Scary films, too

For me, that song has a special mexican feeling I love. For me, this is the second best song on Pictures. The trumpets are great. And Katie is just divine.

That song really rocks

I think that it's the best song from Pictures.
Why?
Hmm... lyrics, melody, Katie's voice.

love the song,and live acoustic even better

Yes, Katie makes it perfect

This is one of my favorites from "Pictures"

For me too. Here I do love the studio version with the Mariachi Trumpets. That's brilliant.