Picture
45 single, Side A. Asylum (E-45479) (1978)
Image credit: BEATLEJOHN at 45cat.com.
"Tumbling Dice" / "I Never Will Marry" is a double A-side single by Linda Ronstadt. "I Never Will Marry" features harmony vocals by Dolly. It was released on April 3, 1978, by Asylum Records as the fourth and fifth single from her eighth studio album, Simple Dreams. "Tumbling Dice" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and is a cover of the Rolling Stones' 1972 Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit, while "I Never Will Marry" is a traditional ballad, often credited to Fred Hellerman. Both sides were produced by Peter Asher. "Tumbling Dice" peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and "I Never Will Marry" reached number eight on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Track listing

Side A
  • Tumbling Dice (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) 3:05
Side B
  • I Never Will Marry (with harmony vocals by Dolly Parton)  (Traditional, arr. by Linda Ronstadt) 3:12

Audio

Critical reception

"I Never Will Marry" was revived in the May 6,1978 issue of Billboard magazine, although the review mistakenly credits the harmony vocals to Emmylou Harris instead of Dolly. The review said, "Simple acoustic guitars surround Ronstadt's sensitive and interpretive presentation of this mellow ballad reflecting the heartbreak of love. The cut is also enhanced with [Dolly Parton's] harmonizing vocals."
Picture
Billboard review, May 6, 1978.

Commercial performance

"Tumbling Dice" peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 40 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart, and number 35 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

"I Never Will Marry" debuted at number 82 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated May 13, 1978. It peaked at number eight on the chart dated July 1, its eighth week on the chart, and remained there for an additional week. It charted for 13 weeks. The single also peaked at number 30 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number 10 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Apple Music.
"Tumbling Dice"
  • Peter Asher – producer
  • Dan Dugmore – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Kenny Edwards – background vocals, bass guitar
  • Val Garay – recording engineer, mixing engineer
  • Don Grolnick – piano
  • Mark Howlett – mixing engineer, assistant mixing engineer, assistant engineer
  • Rick Marotta – drums
  • Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals
  • Doug Sax – mastering engineer
  • Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals, slide guitar 
"I Never Will Marry"
  • Mike Aldridge – dobro
  • Peter Asher – producer
  • Dan Dugmore – acoustic guitar
  • Val Garay – recording engineer, mixing engineer
  • Mark Howlett – mixing engineer, assistant mixing engineer, assistant engineer
  • Dolly Parton – harmony vocals
  • Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, arrangement
  • Doug Sax – mastering engineer
  • Waddy Wachtel – acoustuc guitar

Alternate artwork

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Japan 45 single, picture sleeve. Asylum (P-293Y) (1978)
Image credit: greenandblue at 45cat.com