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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
Fingerprint File
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You keep me running
Know my way around
Yes, you do, child
Fingerprint file, you bring me down
Keep me running
You keep me on the ground
Know my moves
Listening to me
On your satellite
Feeling followed
Feeling tagged
Crossing water
Trying to wipe my tracks
And there's some little jerk in the FBI
A keepin' papers on me six feet high
It gets me down, it gets me down, it gets me down
You better watch out
On your telephone
Wrong number
They know you ain't home
And there's some little jerk in the FBI
A keepin' papers on me six feet high
It gets me down, it gets me down, it gets me down
Who's the man on the corner, that corner over there
I don't know
Well, you better lay low watch out
Keep on the look out
Electric eyes
Rats on the sell out
Who gonna testify
You know my habits
Way a head of time
Listening to me
On your satellite
And there's some little jerk in the FBI
A keepin' papers on me six feet high
It gets me down, it gets me down, it gets me down
It gets me down
Hello, baby, mm-hmm
Ah, yeah, you know we ain't, we ain't talkin' alone
Who's listening? Well I don't really know
But you better tell the SIS to keep out of sight
'Cause I know they takin' pictures on the ultraviolet light
Yes, uh huh, yeah, but these days it's all secrecy; no privacy
Shoot first, that's right you know
Bye bye
Right now somebody is listening to you
Keeping their eyes peeled on you
Mmm, mmm, what a price, what a price to pay
All right, good night, sleep tight
The Rolling Stones' "Fingerprint File" is a song that delves into the theme of paranoia and surveillance. The lyrics begin by addressing a "fingerprint file," which represents the government's ability to track individuals through their digital fingerprint, found in various documents ranging from passports to driver's licenses. The singer talks about how this tracking keeps him on the move and how he feels as though he is being followed and tagged without his knowledge. He even makes a reference to a specific "little jerk" in the FBI who is watching him constantly, highlighting the corruption that existed within government institutions during the time period the song was released (1974).
The chorus of the song is repetitive, emphasizing the feeling of the government's constant presence and its effect on the singer. He warns the listener to be careful and watch out, as he feels as though he is constantly being listened to on his own satellite. The song also highlights the theme of privacy, with the singer mentioning that it is a thing of the past and that there is no longer any secrecy.
The song ends with the singer saying that somebody is always listening and watching, making the listeners aware of the constant surveillance that exists in their day-to-day lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Fingerprint file, you get me down
The constant surveillance and monitoring of the authorities is stressful and frustrating.
You keep me running
The constant surveillance requires evasion and being on the move.
Know my way around
Despite the surveillance, the subject is seasoned in eluding detection.
Fingerprint file, you bring me down
The surveillance is demoralizing and depressing.
Keep me running
The surveillance requires constant evasion.
You keep me on the ground
The surveillance prevents the subject from achieving freedom or escape.
Know my moves
The authorities are well aware of the subject's habits and patterns.
Way ahead of time
The authorities are forecasting the subject's moves and actions.
Listening to me
The authorities are using electronic surveillance to track and record the subject's activities.
On your satellite
The authorities are using advanced technology to track the subject.
Feeling followed
The fear of being watched and followed is ever-present.
Feeling tagged
The subject believes they are under constant surveillance and monitoring.
Crossing water
The subject is trying to avoid detection by moving across bodies of water.
Trying to wipe my tracks
The subject is attempting to cover their trail and avoid detection.
And there's some little jerk in the FBI
The subject is unsympathetic towards the authorities who are surveilling them.
A keepin' papers on me six feet high
The FBI has gathered extensive information on the subject.
It gets me down, it gets me down, it gets me down
The surveillance is emotionally draining and depressing.
You better watch out
The subject warns others to be cautious and aware of the surveillance they may be under.
On your telephone
The authorities may be listening in on phone conversations.
Wrong number
The subject is implying that even calling a wrong number can alert authorities of one's whereabouts.
They know you ain't home
The authorities use any information, including when someone is not at home, to gain an advantage on the subject.
Who's the man on the corner, that corner over there
The subject is indignant and suspicious of everyone around them.
I don't know
The subject is uncertain of who the suspicious individual on the corner is.
Well, you better lay low watch out
The subject advises others to take precaution and go into hiding.
Keep on the look out
The subject encourages alertness and vigilance.
Electric eyes
The authorities have advanced and sophisticated methods for surveillance.
Rats on the sell out
The subject believes that there may be individuals who have betrayed them to the authorities.
Who gonna testify
The subject is questioning who will speak out against them in court.
You know my habits
The authorities have studied the subject's behavior and routines.
Listening to me
The authorities are using electronic surveillance to record and track the subject's activities.
And there's some little jerk in the FBI
The subject harbors contempt towards the officials who are surveilling them.
A keepin' papers on me six feet high
The FBI has compiled a significant amount of information on the subject.
Hello, baby, mm-hmm
The subject is being friendly and casual in their conversation, despite the underlying paranoia.
Ah, yeah, you know we ain't, we ain't talkin' alone
The subject is aware of the surveillance and the potential listeners in the conversation.
Who's listening? Well I don't really know
The subject is uncertain of who may be listening or monitoring their conversation.
But you better tell the SIS to keep out of sight
The subject is warning a potential ally to avoid any surveillance and stay hidden.
'Cause I know they takin' pictures on the ultraviolet light
The authorities may be using advanced technology to gather intelligence on the subject.
Yes, uh huh, yeah, but these days it's all secrecy; no privacy
The subject bemoans the lack of privacy and abundance of secrecy in modern society.
Shoot first, that's right you know
The subject is aware of the potential dangers of being under surveillance and the consequences if caught.
Bye bye
The subject is ending the conversation and signing off.
Right now somebody is listening to you
The subject is warning the listener that they may be under surveillance at that moment.
Keeping their eyes peeled on you
The authorities are watching and monitoring the listener's every move.
Mmm, mmm, what a price, what a price to pay
The subject recognizes and bemoans the cost of freedom and privacy in a surveilled society.
All right, good night, sleep tight
The subject is saying goodnight, but the fear and stress of being watched continues.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Keith Richards, Michael Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Greg Halder
on 2000 Light Years From Home
Totally underrated track and album..