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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
Hang Fire
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nobody ever works
Yeah nothing gets done
We hang fire, we hang fire
You know marrying money is a full time job
I don't need the aggravation
I'm a lazy slob
Hang fire, put it on the wire baby
Hang fire, hang fire put it on the wire baby, go ahead
Hang fire
We've got nothing to eat
We got nowhere to work
Nothing to drink
We just lost our shirts
I'm on the dole
We ain't for hire
Say what the hell
Say what the hell, hang fire
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
Hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
Doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo doo
Doo doo
Yeah ten thousand dollars, go have some fun
Put it all on at a hundred to one
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
Doo doo
Doo doo, hang fire, hang fire put it on the wire
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
Put it on the wire, baby
Put it on the wire
The Rolling Stones’ song “Hang Fire” is a satirical commentary on the lazy and do-nothing attitude plaguing the singer's homeland. The opening lines convey the singer's frustration with the lack of work ethic while rendering a nostalgic longing for the sweetness of the old country. The singer then points out the irony of how in that old country, marrying money is treated as a full-time job, and anyone who does not want the hassle of working hard can easily become a lazy slob.
The refrain of the song, "Hang Fire," repeating throughout relays the emotions of complacency, apathy, and inertia. The second verse presents the stark contrast, highlighting the people's misery and poverty without jobs, food, or water, and no prospect of anything better. The chorus hits with a sense of sardonic urgency as if challenging someone, anyone, to use the last ten thousand dollars to go have some fun and put it all on at a hundred to one.
In summary, the song “Hang Fire” is an ironic reflection of the do-nothing attitude that permeates the singer's homeland. It paints the picture of a society where people can't get enough of the easy path and thus refuse to take responsibility for their destiny. The lyrics question and challenge the listener's approach to life, urging to do better, and embrace hard work.
Line by Line Meaning
In the sweet old country where I come from
Growing up in the country I'm from
Nobody ever works
No one really works hard
Yeah nothing gets done
Tasks are often left incomplete
We hang fire, we hang fire
We procrastinate and delay tasks
You know marrying money is a full time job
Marrying into wealth can be a full-time occupation
I don't need the aggravation
I don't want the stress of chasing money
I'm a lazy slob
I admit that I'm unmotivated
I hang fire, I hang fire
I delay and put off important tasks
Hang fire, put it on the wire baby
Delay and procrastinate, like you would send a message
Hang fire, hang fire put it on the wire baby, go ahead
Delay and procrastinate, and transmit this message
We've got nothing to eat
We have no food to consume
We got nowhere to work
We lack opportunities for employment
Nothing to drink
We have no liquids available
We just lost our shirts
We've experienced serious financial setbacks
I'm on the dole
I rely on unemployment benefits
We ain't for hire
We are not seeking employment
Say what the hell
What's the point
Say what the hell, hang fire
What's the point of rushing; let's procrastinate
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
Delay and procrastinate, and tell everyone
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
Keep delaying important tasks
Hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
Delay and procrastinate, but let someone know about it
Doo doo doo
Vocalization
Yeah ten thousand dollars, go have some fun
Here's a large sum of money; spend it freely
Put it all on at a hundred to one
Take a major gamble
Doo doo, hang fire, hang fire put it on the wire
Delay and procrastinate, and transmit the message
Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
Keep delaying important tasks
Put it on the wire, baby
Tell everyone about the delay
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joe DePalo
Put it on the wire, Baby!
It was a Blast while it lasted but thank goodness those INSANE days are behind me.
A day at a time. ;-)
Jim Cholley
How insane were they?
mendes
R.I.P Charlie Watts 😔☮✌
John Harvey
True all these jobs entail so much aggravation from driving at high speeds with drunks, crack heads, meth addicts to get there then if you work with a woman you're gonna hear about her family and every gripe she can possibly think of and like Bob Seger said "the boss can't even recall my name"
kd Davis
Take a 1000$ and go have some fun" 🌈🎸🕶✌👏
Raúl Alejandro Sánchez
The Rolling Stones 👅🇦🇷😁😛
Diego Bornas
OKUPAS 🇦🇷✌🏻