Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song was recorded in early September 1965. The song is noted for its drum intro by Charlie Watts and twin guitars by Brian Jones and Keith Richards.[1] The lyrics are defiant and rebellious, which was common practice for the Rolling Stones around that time; they were beginning to cultivate their infamous "bad boy" image. The Stones have said that the song is written as a reaction to their sudden popularity after the success of "Satisfaction". The song deals with their aversion to people's expectations of them.
“ I was sick and tired, fed up with this and decided to take a drive downtown; It was so very quiet and peaceful, there was nobody, not a soul around; I laid myself out, I was so tired and I started to dream; In the morning the parking tickets were just like a flag stuck on my windscreen ”
On the song, Richards said in 1971, "I never dug it as a record. The chorus was a nice idea, but we rushed it as the follow-up. We were in L.A., and it was time for another single. But how do you follow-up "Satisfaction"? Actually, what I wanted was to do it slow like a Lee Dorsey thing. We rocked it up. I thought it was one of Andrew Loog Oldham's worst productions." [2] In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, Jagger said, "That was Keith's melody and my lyrics... It's a stop-bugging-me, post-teenage-alienation song. The grown-up world was a very ordered society in the early '60s, and I was coming out of it. America was even more ordered than anywhere else. I found it was a very restrictive society in thought and behavior and dress." [3] In the 2003 book According to... The Rolling Stones, Richards says: "'Get off of My Cloud' was basically a response to people knocking on our door asking us for the follow up to 'Satisfaction'... We thought, 'At last. We can sit back and maybe think about events.' Suddenly there's the knock at the door and of course what came out of that was 'Get off of My Cloud'."[
Get Off of My Cloud
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I sit at home looking out the window
Imagining the world has stopped
Then in flies a guy who's all dressed up just like a Union Jack
And says, "I've won five pounds if I have his kind of detergent pack"
I says, "hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
On my cloud, baby"
The telephone is ringing
I say, "hi, it's me, who is there on the line?"
A voice says, "hi, hello, how are you?"
"Well, I guess I'm doin' fine"
He says, "it's three a.m., there's too much noise
Don't you people ever want to go to bed?
Just 'cause you feel so good
Do you have to drive me out of my head?"
I says, "hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
On my cloud, baby, yeah"
I was sick and tired, fed up with this
And decided to take a drive downtown
It was so very quiet and peaceful
There was nobody, not a soul around
I laid myself out, I was so tired
And I started to dream
In the morning the parking tickets were just
Like a flag stuck on my window screen
I says, "hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
On my cloud, baby"
"Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
On my cloud, hey, you
The Rolling Stones's hit song "Get Off Of My Cloud" is a rock anthem with a catchy tune and a powerful message. The song is about the singer's desire for personal space and freedom. He lives on the ninety-ninth floor of his apartment building and imagines that the world has stopped. However, his peaceful mental space is infiltrated by a man who brags about winning 5 pounds with a particular brand of detergent. The singer does not take kindly to the interruption of his thoughts and demands that the man leave his cloud or his mental space. The chorus repeats, "Hey, you, get off of my cloud, don't hang around cause two's a crowd on my cloud, baby."
The song's second verse is about a phone call that the singer receives at 3 am. The caller complains that there is too much noise around and that he can't sleep. The singer retorts that just because he feels good does not mean he has to drive the caller out of his mind. He once again demands that the caller leaves his cloud. The third verse talks about how the singer decided to take a drive downtown because he was fed up with everything. It was so quiet and peaceful that there was nobody around. However, when he returned, he found a parking ticket on his car.
The lyrics of "Get Off Of My Cloud" are symbolic of the need for personal space and the demand for individual freedom. The cloud in the song represents a mental and emotional space where we can be at peace with ourselves. The singer wants to live in his own world and asks others not to disturb his cloud. The song is a powerful declaration of independence and individuality.
Line by Line Meaning
I live in an apartment on the ninety-ninth floor of my block
I reside in an apartment high up in my building.
And I sit at home looking out the window
I often observe the outside world from my place.
Imagining the world has stopped
Sometimes, I have an image in my mind that the entire universe has paused.
Then in flies a guy who's all dressed up just like a Union Jack
Suddenly, a man appears wearing clothes that resemble a Union Jack.
And says, "I've won five pounds if I have his kind of detergent pack"
The man declares that he has earned some money due to his use of a particular detergent pack.
I says, "hey, you, get off of my cloud
I utter a statement, commanding the man to get off the figurative space that belongs to me.
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
One is enough, hence there is no need for the man to stay as it will result in the space being too crowded.
On my cloud, baby"
The telephone is ringing
The phone begins to make a noise.
I say, "hi, it's me, who is there on the line?"
I answer the phone, asking who the person calling is.
A voice says, "hi, hello, how are you?"
The person on the other end greets me and asks how I'm doing.
"Well, I guess I'm doin' fine"
I reply stating that I'm doing well.
He says, "it's three a.m., there's too much noise
The caller complains about the amount of noise at such a late hour.
Don't you people ever want to go to bed?
The person asks if people living in my building ever sleep.
Just 'cause you feel so good
The caller presumes that the reason for the noise is that people are feeling good.
Do you have to drive me out of my head?"
He questions whether the sound disturbance is intentional and meant to bother him.
I says, "hey, you, get off of my cloud
Again, I demand that the person leave my personal space.
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
I repeat that there is no space for two people to coexist.
On my cloud, baby, yeah"
I was sick and tired, fed up with this
I became irritated and frustrated with this situation.
And decided to take a drive downtown
I made a choice to go for a drive in the city center.
It was so very quiet and peaceful
The environment was calm and serene.
There was nobody, not a soul around
There was no one else in sight.
I laid myself out, I was so tired
I felt exhausted and had to rest.
And I started to dream
I drifted off into a dream.
In the morning the parking tickets were just
The next day, I found parking tickets on my car.
Like a flag stuck on my window screen
The tickets were visible, almost like a flag that was attached to my car.
I says, "hey, you, get off of my cloud
Once again, I tell someone to get off of the space that is mine.
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around 'cause two's a crowd
I reiterate that I desire no one else in my space.
On my cloud, baby"
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@svenmuller7283
R.I.P. Charlie. This song and this fill is the reason why I started playing drums. Thank you!
@bobhoekstra7590
Same here
@jellobiafra2810
I'm from Detroit (blow the revielle)!
Oh, Man! Say it ain't so!
Not just the loss of a great Rock 'n Rock 'pocket-groove' drummer with a jazz background.
THE ROLLING STONES ARE NO MORE! 😭
Say it ain't so!
RIP Charlie.
- Dave B.
@carolyndetemple
🥺
@mwright80
Real talk! That fill is everything.
@samuelbowles4523
I have the same story & the white 60's 3 piece Gretch Drumset like Charlie
@jayjay66111
RIP Charlie Watts, thought I'd post that here because this my favourite performance of his, I'm absolutely gutted.
@JStarStar00
The back beat of the Stones.
@babbalonian2
like a fish?
@celio777
O homem morre, a ideia não. Charlie lives.