Bright Lights
The Rolling Stones Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bright lights, big city
Gone to my baby's head
Bright lights, big city
Gone to my baby's head

I'd tried to tell the woman
But she doesn't believe a word I said
Go light pretty baby
Gonna need my help some day
It's all right pretty baby
Gonna need my help some day

You're gonna wish you listened
To some of those things I said

Go ahead pretty baby
Oh, honey knock yourself out
Go ahead pretty baby
Oh honey knock yourself out

I still love you baby
Cause you don't know what it's all about

Bright lights, big city
Gone to my baby's head




Bright lights, big city
Gone to my baby's head

Overall Meaning

The Rolling Stones’ “Bright Lights, Big City” is a bluesy rock tune that explores the effects of city life on a woman. The bright lights represent the glamour and excitement of city life, but for the singer’s girlfriend, they have gone to her head. He warns her that one day she will need his help, but she ignores his words. The singer still loves her, even though she doesn’t understand the consequences of living in the big city.


The lyrics suggest that the urban environment can be both thrilling and dangerous, especially for someone who is easily influenced. The woman in the song is living in the fast lane, not taking time to listen to the singer's warnings about the potential dangers of city life. She thinks she can handle it all on her own, but the singer knows that she will eventually hit a wall and need help. Despite her disregard of his advice, he still loves her because he understands that she is a victim to the allure of the city.


The Rolling Stones’ “Bright Lights, Big City” is an exploration of the city’s excitement and the dangerous ways it can affect people. It’s a cautionary tale that warns about the perils of living life in the fast lane. The song echoes the sentiments of many blues tunes, with its ominous warning about the risks and dangers of the big city.


Line by Line Meaning

Bright lights, big city
The exciting atmosphere of the city has captured the attention of the singer.


Gone to my baby's head
The city has affected the mindset of the singer's partner in a negative way.


I'd tried to tell the woman
The singer attempted to warn his partner about the potential dangers of the city.


But she doesn't believe a word I said
His partner disregarded the singer's advice.


Go light pretty baby
The singer is urging his partner to be careful in the city.


Gonna need my help some day
The singer is implying that his partner will eventually need his support.


It's all right pretty baby
The singer reassures his partner that he will be there for her.


You're gonna wish you listened
The singer warns his partner that not heeding his advice will have consequences.


Oh, honey knock yourself out
The singer is giving his partner permission to enjoy herself in the city.


I still love you baby
The singer affirms his affection for his partner despite their differences.


Cause you don't know what it's all about
The singer believes his partner does not fully understand the potential consequences of her actions in the city.


Bright lights, big city
Reinforcement of the initial description of the city's atmosphere.


Gone to my baby's head
Reinforcement of how the city has affected the mindset of the singer's partner.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jimmy Reed

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@BootlegVinyl

It's hard to find these recordins in good quality; however, it's still priceless history to me. Glad you like it. I am working on uploading more!

@jackmeyer4280

My favorite Stones album. Bought this bootleg 40 years ago!

@Paul-uo9kg

I too in '76 or so and always a top album for me - it deserves more definitive reviews -

@jackmeyer4280

@Paul Ian Stewart’s piano playing is what makes this album boogie!

@Paul-uo9kg

@Jack Meyer yes- you're right!

@mikebarooshian7255

@Paul this stones bootleg sounds amazing I wish the stones officially released all those songs it sounds way better then anything the stones did in a very very long time

@ThomasDeLello

I'd like to have a copy of this on CD. I Love the cover art too... I hear a lot of Brian Jones influence in this.

@richmerowitz5610

Hard to say what it would have done to their career trajectory, but some of these cuts should have been put out in the US about the time of Out of Our Heads or even earlier. They were without doubt the pre-eminent blues cover band of the early sixties.

@burningrabbitacres8330

11 March 1963, with Glyn Johns, IBC. Recording days after blowin minds with one hundred fans. Hamish said about this Stones band..."they're barbaric. They love the music they play and don't let anything come in the way."
So deep. These were well-formed men already, full-grown, considerably stoned, so loud, so poised, so sharp. Boom, baby, give me dome room. That's them. Glimmers. Cut throat, gun tote...playing for children, blowin minds, getting girls wet, twitching, reacting to it the most primal...wow.

@BootlegVinyl

Yes! This is a William Stout cover. He did several for the Stones and many more for the early editions of Trade Mark of Quality Records back in the 70's. He lives in SC now and still actively visits record shows.

More Comments

More Versions