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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
Can I Get a Witness
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is it right to be left alone when the one you love is never home
I love too hard my friends sometimes say
But I believe I believe that a woman should be loved that way
But it hurts me so inside to see you treat me so unkind
Somebody somewhere tell her it ain't fair
Can I get a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Somebody (Can I get a witness)
Is it right to be treated so bad when you give her everything you had
Keep on talking in my sleep 'cause I haven't seen my baby all week
Now you kids you all agree is that the way it's supposed to be
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
Up early in the morning with her on my mind
Took to find it out all night I been cryin'
But I believe a woman's a man's best friend
I'm gonna stick by hr till the very end
Well she causes so much misery how's a gal supposed to be
Somebody somewhere tell her it ain't right
Can I get a witness, can I get a witness
(Can I get a witness), I want a witness
(Can I get a witness), witness, witness
(Can I get a witness), witness, witness
(Can I get a witness)
Everybody knows especially you girls
That a love can be sad but my beloved's twice as bad
Now you kids do all agree that ain't the way it's supposed to be
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Yeah, I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Somebody (Can I get a witness)
Is it right to be treated so bad when you give her everything you had
Keep on talking in my sleep 'cause I haven't seen my baby all week
Now you kids you all agree is that the way it's supposed to be
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
Witness, witness, yeah, I want a witness
The lyrics to The Rolling Stones's song Can I Get a Witness deal with the universal themes of love, heartbreak, and the search for validation from others. The singer in the song is questioning the fairness and reason behind being left alone by the person they love. They express their belief that a woman should be loved hard and express their pain at being treated unkindly. The singer seeks validation, asking repeatedly throughout the song, "Can I get a witness?" They are searching for someone to confirm their feelings and experiences.
The personal anguish expressed in the lyrics is heightened by the upbeat, energetic music of the song. The Rolling Stones's use of soulful, call-and-response vocals and their signature bluesy rock sound creates a sense of urgency and desperation that matches the singer's emotional state. The lyrics also address the societal expectations and gender roles of the time, with the singer asking the audience, "Is that the way it's supposed to be?"
Overall, the lyrics to Can I Get a Witness highlight the complexities of love and relationships, as well as the universal desire for validation and understanding from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah ah listen everybody (body), specially you girls (girls)
Attention everyone, especially women, I have something important to say.
Is it right to be left alone when the one you love is never home
Is it fair for someone you love to constantly be absent, leaving you alone?
I love too hard my friends sometimes say
My friends think I love too strongly.
But I believe I believe that a woman should be loved that way
But I believe that women deserve to be loved with great passion.
But it hurts me so inside to see you treat me so unkind
But it pains me to see you treating me poorly.
Somebody somewhere tell her it ain't fair
I need someone to let her know that her behavior is unjust.
Can I get a witness (Can I get a witness)
Can someone please attest to my situation?
I want a witness (Can I get a witness)
I need someone to confirm what I'm going through.
Somebody (Can I get a witness)
Anyone who has observed my situation, please speak up.
Is it right to be treated so bad when you give her everything you had
Is it okay to be mistreated even though you've given everything to the person?
Keep on talking in my sleep 'cause I haven't seen my baby all week
I talk in my sleep because it's been a week since I've seen my partner.
Now you kids you all agree is that the way it's supposed to be
Do you all agree that this is not how a relationship should be?
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
I want to hear your agreement, say 'yeah, yeah, yeah.'
Up early in the morning with her on my mind
I wake up early every day thinking of her.
Took to find it out all night I been cryin'
I stayed up all night trying to figure things out, crying.
But I believe a woman's a man's best friend
I believe that women make the best companions for men.
I'm gonna stick by hr till the very end
I will remain loyal to her no matter what.
Well she causes so much misery how's a gal supposed to be
She causes me so much pain, how can I keep going like this?
Can I get a witness, can I get a witness
Can anyone confirm what I'm going through?
(Can I get a witness), witness, witness
Someone who has seen what I'm experiencing, please bear witness.
Everybody knows especially you girls
Everyone knows, especially women.
That a love can be sad but my beloved's twice as bad
Love can be sorrowful, but my lover's behavior makes it even worse.
Now you kids do all agree that ain't the way it's supposed to be
Do you all agree that this is not how love should be?
Let me hear you, let me hear you say yeah, yeah, yeah
I want to hear your agreement, say 'yeah, yeah, yeah.'
Witness, witness, yeah, I want a witness
I need someone to verify my situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Greg Halder
on 2000 Light Years From Home
Totally underrated track and album..