The concept of middling

Stealers Wheel is a Scottish folk rock/rock band formed in 1972
They are probably best known for "Stuck in the Middle With You"

Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you.

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
And I'm wondering what it is I should do,
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face,
Losing control, yeah, I'm all over the place,
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.

Well you started out with nothing,
And you're proud that you're a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please.... Please.....

Trying to make some sense of it all,
But I can see that it makes no sense at all,
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor,
'Cause I don't think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.

Well you started out with nothing,
And you're proud that you're a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please.... Please.....

Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you,
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
Stuck in the middle with you.


This is not a gambling song but if you're a gambler it might suggest the concept of "middling". Bookmakers are hoping to not get stuck in the middle of your gambling dollars. One classic example:
1979 Super Bowl XIII
Date Played: January 21, 1979
Teams: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Winner: STEELERS
Final Score: 35-31
Location: Miami, Florida

Super Bowl XIII matched the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Dallas Cowboys. Pittsburgh was initialed pegged to be a 3.5 point favorite, and at that line a disproportionate share of money was bet on the Steelers to cover that spread. To minimize their risk and balance the dollars bet on both teams, the line increased to as high as 5 points. At that point, money started pouring in on the Cowboys. The closing line was Pittsburgh favored by 4.5 points. The final score was Pittsburgh 35 Dallas 31. Betting lines are different than betting at the racetrack. Your line is the existing line at the time you place your bet. So those that took Pittsburgh as 3.5 point favorites won their bets and those that took the Cowboys as 4.5 or 5 point underdogs won their bets. Vegas bookies lost big by getting middled (i.e. losing to both sides of the bet). Also this might suggest that XIII was unlucky to bookies.

This and other vintage 45 RPM singles are available on www.Niksvinyl.com

Tumbling Dice
The Rolling Stones
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)
Women think I'm tasty, but they're always tryin' to waste me
And make me burn the candle right down,
But baby, baby, I don't need no jewels in my crown.
'Cause all you women is low down gamblers,
Cheatin' like I don't know how,
But baby, I go crazy, there's fever in the funk house now.
This low down bitchin' got my poor feet a itchin',
You know you know the duece is still wild.
Baby, I can't stay, you got to roll me
And call me the tumblin' dice.
Always in a hurry, I never stop to worry,
Don't you see the time flashin' by.
Honey, got no money,
I'm all sixes and sevens and nines.
Say now, baby, I'm the rank outsider,
You can be my partner in crime.
But baby, I can't stay,
You got to roll me and call me the tumblin',
Roll me and call me the tumblin' dice.
Oh, my, my, my, I'm the lone crap shooter,
Playin' the field ev'ry night.
Baby, can't stay,
You got to roll me and call me the tumblin' dice, (Call me the tumblin')
Got to roll me, Got to roll me, Got to roll me (Oh yeah)
Got to roll me. Got to roll me, Got to roll me ( Keep on rolling, Keep on rolling)