Luck Be a Lady Tonight - A discussion of the Lyrics b y Drew Kopf
Here is what I believe are the authoritative lyrics to the “Luck be a Lady Tonight”.
As you read (read: sing) through them, you will see exactly where Sky Masterson (very clever name that, isn’t it? Masterson = Son of the Master. (And from up in the sky too; of course) tells us that he, a guy who never prays for anything, is now completely out of options and all he has left is to pray; not a prayer we’d ever find in a prayer book mind you, but a prayer none-the-less and, perhaps of the most sincere ilk.
Later in the song, he puts his proverbial cards on the table (read: bares his soul) and admits that if this situation does not turn out the way he wants it to turn out that his life will be over; he’ll be as good as dead; “I’ve bet my life on this roll”. (Please don’t jump to the obvious comparison to the “holy rollers” of a certain sect; that is an unintended reference). But, it certainly demonstrates his faith because a man as tough as he would never play it this way unless he believed entirely that the outcome would be what was right for him; a result of what he is truly worthy even in light of his checkered past. He has jettisoned his old ways and has committed his life to saving the souls of others and he is starting with those of his compatriots as he states a few moments earlier before the song, “Then maybe with honest dice, I can make a pass to save his soul; and yours and yours and yours. I'm gonna roll these dice. One roll. And on that roll I'm gonna bet each of you $50 against your soul. Cash against a marker for your soul. If I win, all of you show up at the mission tonight. Have I got a bet?”
Any way, here are the lyrics for your review. Enjoy:
Guys and Dolls
Luck be a Lady Tonight
They call you Lady Luck
But there is room for doubt
At times you have a very unladylike way
Of runnin' out
You're on this date with me
The pickings have been lush
And yet before this evening is over
You might give me the brush
You might forget your manners,
you might refuse to stay
And so the best that I can do
Is pray
Luck, be a lady tonight
Luck, be a lady tonight
Luck, if you've ever been
a lady to begin with
Luck, be a lady tonight
Luck, let a gentleman see
How nice a dame you can be
I know the way you've treated
other guys you've been with
Luck, be a lady with me
A lady doesn't leave her escort
It isn't fair, it isn't nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guy's dice
So let's keep the party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me, baby,
I'm the fella you came in with
Luck, be a lady
Luck, be a lady
Luck, be a lady tonight
A lady wouldn't flirt with strangers
She'd have a heart, she'd have a soul
A lady wouldn't make
little snake eyes at me
When I've bet my life on this roll
So let's keep the party polite
(Why don't he shoot?)
Never get out of my sight
(Come on! Quit stalling!)
Stick with me, baby,
I'm the fella you came in with
Luck be a lady
(Sky's turnin' yellow!)
Luck, be a lady
(What are you scared of?)
Luck, be a lady
(What's the matter? Roll the dice!)
Tonight
Comin' out, comin' out
Comin' out, comin' out, comin' out right!
