Brown Sugar
- The Rolling Stones Lyrics

Gold Coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
A slave ship from the Gold Coast headed towards cotton fields.

Sold in the market down in New Orleans
The slaves were sold in the New Orleans market.

Skydog slaver knows he's doin' all right
The Skydog slaver is aware that he is engaged in an immoral activity but is not bothered about it.

Hear him whip the women just around midnight
Women were brutally whipping women slaves during the midnight hours.

Brown sugar, how come you taste so good?
The term brown sugar is being used as a metaphor referring to the black woman. The singer is stating that he finds black women attractive.

Brown sugar, just like a young girl should
The singer goes on to mention that black women behave just like young girls in reference to their sexual behaviour.

Drums beatin' cold, English blood runs hot
The cold drums were in contrast to the hot blood of the English people who were actively engaging in slavery.

Lady of the house wonderin' when it's gonna stop
The owner of the slave house wondered when the activity of slavery would end.

House boy knows that he's doin' all right
The house boy who helped with the slavery knew that he was not engaged in a morally correct activity, but he did not care.

You should have heard him just around midnight
The house boy was actively participating in slave trade during the midnight hours.

Brown sugar, how come you taste so good, now?
The singer again refers to black women saying that they have a distinct sexual appeal.

Brown sugar, just like a young girl should (yeah)
The singer reiterates that black women are sexually attractive just like young girls.

Brown sugar, how come you dance so good, babe?
The singer appreciates the dancing skills of black women.

Brown sugar, just like a black girl should, yeah
The singer states that black women dance exceptionally well, just as they should.

And I bet your mama was a tent show queen
The singer assumes that the listener's mother probably performed in a travelling show or a circus.

And all her boyfriends were sweet sixteen
The singer assumes that the listener's mother dated boys younger than herself.

I'm no school boy but I know what I like
The singer clarifies that he is not naive or inexperienced regarding his preferences in women.

You should have heard them just around midnight
The singer refers to the slave trade activity during the midnight hours.

Brown sugar, how come you taste so good, baby?
The singer again refers to black women in a sexual context, stating that they taste good.

Brown sugar, just like a young girl should, yeah
The singer refers to the sexual behaviour of young girls and how black women are just like them.

I said, yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
This line is a repetition of a sound indicating the singer's excitement and appreciation of black women's sexual appeal.

How come you, how come you dance so good?
The singer repeats his appreciation for black women's talent in dancing.

Just like a, just like a black girl should
The singer reiterates that black women's dancing is exceptional, as it should be.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, woo
Again, a repetition of sounds to indicate the singer's excitement and appreciation for black women's sexual appeal.