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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
Have You Seen Your Mother Baby?
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Have you had another, baby, standing in the shadow?
I'm glad I opened your eyes
The have-nots would have tried to freeze you in ice
Have you seen your brother, baby, standing in the shadow?
Have you had another baby, standing in the shadow?
Well I was just passing the time
Tell me a story about how you adore me
Live through the shadow, see through the shadow,
Live through the shadow, tear at the shadow
Hate in the shadow, love in the shadow life
Have you seen your lover, baby, standing in the shadow?
Have they had another baby, standing in the shadow?
Where have you been all your life?
Talking about all the people who would try anything twice
Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow?
Has she had another baby, standing in the shadow?
You take your choice at this time
The brave old world or the slide to the depths of decline
The Rolling Stones's "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby" is a powerful song that addresses various themes, all of which are bound by the idea of power and control. The lyrics' opening lines, "Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow / Have you had another, baby, standing in the shadow?" refer to a mother whose influence is hidden, and her child whose actions are hidden from her. The shadow is a metaphor for the unknown, and the song is about seeking knowledge and making choices based on what one discovers.
Mick Jagger's lyrics highlight the danger of blindly following others, especially when they are suppressing one's true self, as evidenced by the line: "The have nots have tried to freeze you in ice." The song urges listeners to be wary of those who try to exert control over their lives and to embrace the power within, even if it means standing in the shadow of others.
The idea of living in the shadow is further emphasized in the lines: "Live in the shadow, see through the shadow, / Live through the shadow, tear at the shadow / Hate in the shadow, and love in your shadowy life." Here, Jagger is suggesting that we must navigate through the gray areas of life, accepting that not everything is always black and white, and that we must explore our emotions without fear.
Overall, "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby" is a song that encourages independent thought and urges listeners to challenge the status quo. It recognizes the difficulties in doing so but demands that we take control of our lives rather than submitting to the desires of others.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow
Have you noticed how your mother is always in the background and not given much attention or credit?
Have you had another, baby, standing in the shadow?
Have you experienced being ignored or overlooked by others, just like your mother?
I'm glad I opened your eyes
I'm happy that I made you realize that you are worth more than what others have been telling you.
The have nots have tried to freeze you in ice
People who are lacking in certain aspects have attempted to hold you back and prevent you from reaching your full potential.
Have you seen your brother, baby, standing in the shadow
Have you observed how your sibling is also being neglected or disregarded?
Have you had another baby, standing in the shadow
Have you encountered situations where others are being treated unfairly or unjustly?
I was just passing the time
I was simply trying to fill the void, doing something to distract myself from the emptiness in my life.
I'm all alone, won't you give all your sympathy to mine
I am feeling isolated and unsupported, so could you please consider my feelings and show me some empathy?
Tell me a story about how you adore me
Narrate an anecdote about how much you appreciate and admire me.
Live in the shadow, see through the shadow, Live through the shadow, tear at the shadow, Hate in the shadow, and love in your shadowy life
We must learn to exist in the darkness and push through tough times, to not only endure but also to criticize and find the beauty within the darker aspects of life.
Have you seen your lover, baby, standing in the shadow
Have you ever recognized how your significant other is being overlooked by others or not receiving the recognition they deserve?
Has he had another baby, standing in the shadow
Has your lover ever suffered from another person's mistreatment or neglect?
Baby, where have you been all your life
Sweetheart, how have you been living without experiencing the love I have to offer?
Talking about all the people who should try anything twice
We should be discussing and encouraging those who are too afraid or hesitant to attempt something, to take the chance and try it again, regardless of whether they succeeded or failed the first time.
You take your choice at this time
It's up to you to decide which path or course of action to take at this moment.
The brave old world or the slide to the depths of decline
We can either face the world with courage and strength, or succumb to our struggles and allow ourselves to fall into a state of despair and ruin.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jbstonesfan
Stones early stuff is criminally underrated. Love these lyric videos!
@EclecticoIconoclasta
my favourite period of the Stones is 1965-1967
@mariorocher6279
They were BRUTAL!! in 1965 -66, their stuff was heavier than the Yardbirds!!
@almishti
criminally underrated by who??? We've all known for decades this was the best stuff. You kids have to pay more attention.
@adelembpr
Love this song. Was in high school at 17.
@PlaysWithChildren
@@adelembpr Aren't we all in high school at 17...
@samlewis7878
I N C R E D I B L E lyrics and music. Great video- color content. Thanks for this !
@marcincrux1212
I'm not going to burst into tears if this doesn't go to number one.
At least it is the best we could do and I am satisfied that we have given our best
Mick Jagger, 1966
@andrewgriffin2366
Typical. Does Mick Jagger volunteer at the local soup kitchen?
@colettelavoie7259
I dont know if it's just me but I noticed when some bands got high they actually came up with terrific melodies.this song kicks ass!