Back Street Girl
The Rolling Stones Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't want you to be high
I don't want you to be down
Don't want to tell you no lie
Just want you to be around

Please come right up to my ears
You will be able to hear what I say
Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't be part of my life
Please keep yourself to yourself
Please don't you bother my wife
That way you won't get no help

Don't try to ride on my horse
You're rather common and coarse anyway

Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't you call me at home
Please don't come knocking at night
Please never ring on the phone
Your manners are never quite right

Please take the favors I grant
Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me





Don't want you part of my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Overall Meaning

The Rolling Stones's song "Back Street Girl" is about a man who is asking a woman to be his secret lover. He doesn't want her to be high or low, just wants her to be there with him. The man doesn't want her to be a part of his life, not even his friends' circle, he wants the woman to keep herself to herself and only be with him as a backstreet girl. He doesn't want her to be part of his ordinary life, and he doesn't want her to call him at home, visit him at night, or ring his phone. The man wants the woman to take the favors he grants and be polite in return. He is asking the woman to be his secret pleasure, to be there only when he wants her, and to leave whenever he doesn't desire her.


The song is a reflection of the time of the swinging sixties when many men were looking for pleasure and excitement, and secret lovers were a common thing. This song is a statement on the shallowness of such relationships and the desire to keep them discreet because of societal judgment.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't want you to be high
I don't want you to be under the influence of drugs


I don't want you to be down
I don't want you to be depressed or sad


Don't want to tell you no lie
I won't tell you any lies


Just want you to be around
I just want you to be present in my life


Please come right up to my ears
Please listen very closely to what I say


You will be able to hear what I say
I have something important to tell you


Don't want you out in my world
I don't want you in my public life


Just you be my backstreet girl
Just be my secret lover


Please don't be part of my life
I don't want you involved in my personal life


Please keep yourself to yourself
Please don't make a scene or draw attention to yourself


Please don't you bother my wife
Please don't try to interfere with my marital life


That way you won't get no help
If you bother my wife, I won't help you


Don't try to ride on my horse
Don't try to ride on my success or use me for your own gain


You're rather common and coarse anyway
You're not refined or sophisticated enough for me


Please don't you call me at home
Please don't call me at my personal phone number or contact me after hours


Please don't come knocking at night
Please don't show up unannounced or at inappropriate times


Please never ring on the phone
Please don't call me on the phone


Your manners are never quite right
Your behavior is not suitable for the company I keep


Please take the favors I grant
Please accept the gifts or benefits I give you


Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me
Display a polite and relaxed attitude, solely for my benefit


Don't want you part of my world
I don't want you to be involved in my public or personal life


Just you be my backstreet girl
Just be my secret lover




Lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@user-ip9yu7lp1q

I don't want you to be high
I don't want you to be down
Don't want to tell you no lie
Just want you to be around

Please come right up to my ears
You will be able to hear what I say

Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't be part of my life
Please keep yourself to yourself
Please don't you bother my wife
That way you won't get no help

Don't try to ride on my horse
You're rather common and coarse anyway

Please don't you call me at home
Please don't come knocking at night
Please never ring on the phone
Your manners are never quite right

Please take the favors I grant
Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me

Don't want you part of my world
Just you be my backstreet girl



@nicomrad2360

I don't want you to be high
I don't want you to be down
Don't want to tell you no lie
Just want you to be around

Please come right up to my ears
You will be able to hear what I say

Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't be part of my life
Please keep yourself to yourself
Please don't you bother my wife
That way you won't get no help

Don't try to ride on my horse
You're rather common and coarse anyway

Don't want you out in my world
Just you be my backstreet girl

Please don't you call me at home
Please don't come knocking at night
Please never ring on the phone
Your manners are never quite right

Please take the favors I grant
Curtsy and look nonchalant, just for me

Don't want you part of my world
Just you be my backstreet girl



All comments from YouTube:

@robertanderson9375

One of the prettiest songs I've ever heard. Soft, sweet, gentle ballad to a girl you do not love.

@gabyvansant4533

That's excactly what suprised me so much! I never really listened to the lyrics back then. I was way to young to understand. I thought it was a genuine lovesong. And then I found out that it's all about using a girl, putting her on her, so called, right place. Shocked me ... kind of ...

@joellebenoit9980

@Gaby Van Sant exactly the same for me

@gigliolagiglio218

Grazie. Bellissime parole.

@ronschafer3072

Only the Stones can write a beautiful melody along with nasty lyrics. Great tune.

@joellebenoit9980

You're so right.

@herbertluthe6850

exept for Dylan: positively 4th street.

@lilajagears8317

Most likely the reason it received little if any airplay in 67. When FM Rock radio became the dominant format in the 70s it finally got the airplay that this great song deserved.

@neilryan9301

Your analysis is perfect.

@kennnethtreistman1973

The Stones should have sent a demo to The Byrds for Younger Than Yesterday. Perhaps it could have backed My Back Pages, or one of David Crosby’s numbers on that LP!!

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