Rooted in blues and early rock and roll, the Rolling Stones started out playing covers and were at the forefront of the British Invasion in 1964, becoming identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They then found greater success with their own material, as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (1965), "Get Off of My Cloud" (1965), and "Paint It Black" (1966) became international number-one hits. Aftermath (1966) – their first entirely original album – is considered by The Daily Telegraph to be the most important of their formative records. In 1967, they had the double-sided hit "Ruby Tuesday"/"Let's Spend the Night Together" and experimented with psychedelic rock on Their Satanic Majesties Request. They returned to their rhythm and blues roots with hit songs such as "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968) and "Honky Tonk Women" (1969), and albums such as Beggars Banquet (1968), featuring "Sympathy for the Devil", and Let It Bleed (1969), featuring "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Gimme Shelter". Let It Bleed was the first of five consecutive number-one albums in the UK.
Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor. That year they were first introduced on stage as "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World". Sticky Fingers (1971), which yielded "Brown Sugar" and included the first usage of their tongue and lips logo, was their first of eight consecutive number-one studio albums in the US. Exile on Main St. (1972), featuring "Tumbling Dice", and Goats Head Soup (1973), yielding the hit ballad "Angie", were also best sellers. Taylor was replaced by Ron Wood in 1974. The band continued to release successful albums, including their two largest sellers: Some Girls (1978), featuring "Miss You", and Tattoo You (1981), featuring "Start Me Up". Steel Wheels (1989) was widely considered a comeback album and was followed by Voodoo Lounge (1994), a worldwide number-one album. Both releases were promoted by large stadium and arena tours, as the Stones continued to be a huge concert attraction; by 2007 they had recorded the all-time highest-grossing concert tour three times, and as recently as 2021 they were the highest-earning live act of the year. From Wyman's departure in 1993 to Watts' death in 2021, the band continued as a four-piece core, with Darryl Jones playing bass on tour and on most studio recordings, while Steve Jordan became their touring drummer following Watts' death. Their 2016 album, Blue & Lonesome, became their twelfth UK number-one album.
The Rolling Stones' estimated record sales of 200 million make them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The band has won three Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Billboard magazine and Rolling Stone have ranked the band as one of the greatest of all time.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones
Studio albums
The Rolling Stones / England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)
12 X 5 (1964)
The Rolling Stones No. 2 / The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)
Out of Our Heads (1965)
December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)
Aftermath (1966)
Between the Buttons (1967)
Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
Beggars Banquet (1968)
Let It Bleed (1969)
Sticky Fingers (1971)
Exile on Main St. (1972)
Goats Head Soup (1973)
It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974)
Black and Blue (1976)
Some Girls (1978)
Emotional Rescue (1980)
Tattoo You (1981)
Undercover (1983)
Dirty Work (1986)
Steel Wheels (1989)
Voodoo Lounge (1994)
Bridges to Babylon (1997)
A Bigger Bang (2005)
Blue & Lonesome (2016)
Hackney Diamonds (2023)
03 Under My Thumb
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The girl who once had me down
Under my thumb
The girl who once pushed me around
It's down to me
The difference in the clothes she wears
Down to me, the change has come
And ain't it the truth babe?
Under my thumb
It's a squirmin' dog who's just had her day
Under my thumb
A girl who has just changed her ways
It's down to me
Yes it is
The way she does just what she's told down to me
The change has come
She's under my thumb
Ah, ah, say it's alright
Under my thumb
It's a Siamese cat of a girl
Under my thumb
She's the sweetest, hmmm, pet in the world
It's down to me
The way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
Ah, take it easy babe
Yeah
It's down to me, oh yeah
The way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
Yeah, it feels alright
Under my thumb
Her eyes are just kept to herself
Under my thumb, well I
I can still look at someone else
It's down to me, oh that's what I said
The way she talks when she's spoken to
Down to me, the change has come
She's under my thumb
Say, it's alright
Say it's all
Say it's all
Take it easy babe
Take it easy babe
Feels alright
Take it, take it easy babe
The Rolling Stones' song "Under My Thumb" describes a relationship where the singer has gained control over a woman who once pushed him around. He boasts about how he has changed her and now she is completely submissive to him. The lyrics suggest that she has become like a pet that he can keep under his thumb. He compares her to a "squirmin' dog" or a "Siamese cat" and claims that he can still look at other women while she keeps her eyes to herself.
Overall, "Under My Thumb" reflects the sexual politics of the time it was written in. It portrays women as objects to be controlled and dominated by men. The lyrics are controversial and have been criticized for being misogynistic. However, the song's catchy melody and the band's electrifying performance have made it a classic rock hit.
Line by Line Meaning
Under my thumb
I have complete control over this girl.
The girl who once had me down
She used to have power over me, but now the tables have turned.
The girl who once pushed me around
She used to treat me poorly, but now I am the one in charge.
It's down to me
I am the reason for the changes in her behavior.
The difference in the clothes she wears
She dresses differently, now that she is under my control.
The change has come
She has changed the way she behaves, and it is all because of me.
She's under my thumb
I have complete power over her actions and decisions.
It's a squirmin' dog who's just had her day
She is like a dog who has just been defeated, and is now submissive to me.
A girl who has just changed her ways
She used to behave differently, but now she is acting according to my desires.
The way she does just what she's told down to me
She follows my commands without question, and does whatever I ask.
It's a Siamese cat of a girl
She is like a Siamese cat, very docile and clingy.
She's the sweetest, hmmm, pet in the world
She is like a pet, very obedient and loving.
The way she talks when she's spoken to
She speaks to me with complete submission, as I expect her to.
Her eyes are just kept to herself
She does not make eye contact with anyone else, as she is under my control.
I can still look at someone else
Even though she is submissive to me, I am still free to look at other women.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ryeguy2256
The most underrated Rolling Stones song imo
@rippi37
I agree !!
@heh1737
It’s my favorite
@theinvinciblewinner
When was this song released?
@rippi37
@@theinvinciblewinner ....I think it was around 66 or maybe a little later.....a guesstimate, form memory...
@ruthlassnoGABA73
@@rippi37
You were spot on! It was 66.
Hey, if you'd have been wrong I wouldn't have pointed it out!
:))
@lilmissrockchick4962
Mick's voice is absolutely gorgeous in this song 😍
@joeyhuebner10
A lot of Mick's best performances were in those early years. I don't know why he tries to sound like his younger self these days.
@andressotoortiz3666
Hola
@nuclearreactions4u
If you also like the lyrics and the song concept, I would like to talk to you.