Mott the Hoople formed when Silence, a not-too-successful group from the Welsh borders, was joined by session pianist and rock and roll hopeful Ian Hunter along with musicians Mick Ralphs, Verden Allen, Pete Overend Watts, and Dale Griffin . They developed from Dylan obsessives to their own character over the course of four albums for Island. They were a very popular live act but only achieved brief commercial success.
In 1971, the band was close to splitting up but continued to record track "All the Young Dudes", a song written for them by up and coming pop star and fan David Bowie. Three more albums and several pop hits later, the group fell apart after Ian Hunter left in 1974. The remaining members mutated into Mott, an 'also-ran' band which released two albums before disbanding in 1976. Original guitarist Ralphs had a massive boost in his fortunes as a member of rockers Bad Company.
Griffin died in his sleep on 17 January 2016 at the age of 67 and Watts died, almost exactly a year later, on 22 January 2017, from throat cancer.
Like A Rolling Stone
Mott the Hoople Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You looked so fine
You gave every bum a dime
In your prime - well didn't you
People call
They said you were a doll(?)
You were bound to fall
Well you used to laugh about
Other people who were down and out
Well now you don't laugh so loud
And now you don't feel so proud
About having to be
Scrounging your next meal
How does it feel?
(Fantastic)
Mott the Hoople's cover of Bob Dylan's song "Like a Rolling Stone" is a powerful and emotional rendition that captures the essence of the original version. The lyrics talk about a seemingly successful person who once had it all, but has now fallen on hard times and experienced a complete reversal of fortune. The opening line, "Once upon a time, you looked so fine" suggests that there was a time when this person had everything going for them. They were generous to others, even to the point of giving money to bums on the street. They were a doll, the perfect person, according to others who called them. However, their fate changed, and they had to face the harsh reality of life. They thought they were immune to the troubles that other people faced, but they were wrong.
The song's powerful message shows how quickly your fortunes can change, and how it feels when you have to scrounge for your next meal. The final line, "how does it feel?" is a direct question to the person who has fallen from grace. The repeated refrain of "like a rolling stone" echoes the idea of being tossed around by fate, with no control over the direction they are headed. The lyrics describe the loneliness that can come with losing everything, as people who used to be friends now turn away from the person in trouble. The song is a testament to the fragility of life and how easily things can fall apart.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time
In the past
You looked so fine
You appeared attractive and perfect
You gave every bum a dime
You were generous towards homeless people
In your prime - well didn't you
At your best state, didn't you?
People call
People communicate with you
They said you were a doll(?),
They called you attractive or beautiful
You were bound to fall,
You were expected to lose or fail
But you thought they were all kidding you
You believed they were not serious or honest with you
Well you used to laugh about
You used to make fun of, or derive pleasure from
Other people who were down and out
Other people who were poor or unfortunate
Well now you don't laugh so loud
You are no longer happy, or inhibited
And now you don't feel so proud
And now you are no longer feeling proud or confident
About having to be
Being forced to
Scrounging your next meal
Searching or asking for food to eat
How does it feel?
How do you feel about it?
(Fantastic)
Not applicable
Contributed by Henry Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Terri Taylor
Is there a full version of this?