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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
2000 Man
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A piece of plastic film
And I'm growin' funny flowers
In my little window sill
Don't you know I'm a two thousand man
And my kids, they just don't understand me at all
I really misused her
I am having an affair
With the random computer
Don't you know I'm a two thousand man
And my kids, they just don't understand me at all
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
Oh mummy, proud of your sun
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
Oh mummy, proud of your sun
Oh daddy, your brain's still flashin'
Like it did when you were young
Or do you come down crashin'
Seeing all the things you'd done
All was a big put on
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
Oh mummy, proud of your son
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
Oh mummy, Proud of your sun
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
Oh mummy, proud of your sun
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
Oh mummy, proud of your sun
And you know who's the two thousand man
And your kids they just won't understand you at all
The Rolling Stones's song 2000 Man reflects on the changes that the world underwent during the 20th century and how difficult it is for the previous generations to keep up and be understood by the younger ones. The song centers around a man who has become dehumanized, reduced to just a "number" and "a piece of plastic film". Despite this, he finds solace in a hobby that allows him to exert his control over nature, growing "funny flowers" in his little window sill.
The man seems to have lost the respect of his wife after having an affair with a "random computer", a metaphor for technology advancing at a rate he cannot keep up with. This man, who is indeed the "two thousand man", is having a hard time adapting to new changes, and his kids simply cannot understand him. The song concludes with The Rolling Stones addressing the listener, asking if they too are the "two thousand man", the one nobody understands.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, my name is a number
The singer feels like they are just a number or statistic, not an individual.
A piece of plastic film
They see themselves as disposable or insignificant, like a piece of plastic film.
And I'm growin' funny flowers
The singer is doing something unusual or strange, maybe to escape the mundane reality of their life.
In my little window sill
They are doing this within the confined space of their home, perhaps feeling trapped or isolated.
Don't you know I'm a two thousand man
The artist identifies strongly with the technology and culture of the year 2000.
And my kids, they just don't understand me at all
Despite their efforts to embrace modernity, the singer's children are still disconnected from and maybe even resentful of their parent.
Well my wife still respects me
Despite the singer's faults and infidelities, their spouse still shows them some level of honor or esteem.
I really misused her
The artist acknowledges that they have mistreated their partner, maybe even feeling guilty or remorseful about it.
I am having an affair
The artist is cheating on their spouse, showing a lack of loyalty and trustworthiness.
With the random computer
The artist is not having an affair with another person, but rather with a machine, further emphasizing their psychological isolation and detachment.
Oh daddy, proud of your planet
The singer is now addressing their own father, and speaking sarcastically about his supposed pride in the world and its condition.
Oh mummy, proud of your sun
The artist is now addressing their own mother, and speaking sarcastically about her supposed pride in her offspring.
Oh daddy, your brain's still flashin'
The singer is again addressing their father, now pointing out his age and questioning his mental faculties.
Like it did when you were young
The singer is reminiscing on a time when their father was perhaps more ambitious or adventurous.
Or do you come down crashin'
The singer is acknowledging the possibility that their father may feel the weight of his past mistakes and/or the harsh reality of his present life.
Seeing all the things you'd done
The artist is suggesting that their father is now reflecting on his life and its accomplishments or failures.
All was a big put on
The artist is accusing their father of faking his pride and success, perhaps to impress others or avoid feeling ashamed of himself.
And your kids they just won't understand you at all
The singer is repeating the chorus, again emphasizing the generational and cultural divide between them and their children.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Michael Philip Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mick Corbett
Love this song. The guitars, vocals, drum & bass are magic. Even after all these years is still makes me smile. The Stones were brilliant young musicians.
KEZ RK MAYALL
This album is hugely underrated. I love Psychedelic music and this album is often overlooked.
Love the acoustic guitar lines at the beginning.
Phil Hurd
A hugely underrated song. It’s really fantastic. Long a favorite of mine.
gromleif
The whole album has been underrated, did they ever played this live? Not as I know.
THE STONES
great album............ this track is a masterpiece way ahead of 1967..
Patrick Philip
33 years ahead in fact 😉
David
One of the most underrated songs they have recorded IMO. A classic.
Michael Douglas Skewes
WOW ! Ace Frehley really did a great job covering this song.
TheMisteraction
Sheena eston0
Joe Z
@Mickey John Dude you would not believe how many responses I have received for this comment 2 or 3 years ago! In truth, I really do not care. Guess I hit a raw nerve! Wow! Peace Out.