Neighbours
The Rolling Stones Lyrics


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Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors
Neighbors, have I got neighbors?
Have I got neighbors?
All day and all night

Neighbors
Have I got neighbors?
Ringing my doorbells
All day and all night

Ladies, have I got crazies?
Scheming young babies
No piece and no quiet
I got T.V.'s, saxophone playing
Groaning and straining
With the trouble and strife

Is it any wonder
Is it any wonder
Is it any wonder
That we fuss and fight

Neighbors, do unto strangers
Do unto neighbors
What you do to yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself

Is it any wonder
Is it any wonder
Is it any wonder
That we fuss and fight

Neighbors do unto strangers
Do unto neighbors what you do to yourself
Yourself, yourself, yourself
Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors, neighbors

Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors, neighbors
Neighbors, do yourself a favor
Don't you mess with my baby
When I'm working all night
You know that neighbors
Steal off my table
Steal off my table
And do alright, alright, alright, alright

Neighbors do unto strangers
Do unto strangers
What you do to yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself




You're, you're, you're, you're, you're
You're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're alright

Overall Meaning

The Rolling Stones' "Neighbors" is a song that captures the frustrations of living in close proximity to others. The opening lines "Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors, neighbors, have I got neighbors?" immediately sets the tone, with the repetition of "neighbors" emphasizing the burden of being surrounded by others. The singer then goes on to describe how these neighbors constantly disrupt his life, with their doorbells ringing all day and all night, and their TVs and saxophones playing loudly, causing "trouble and strife." The bridge of the song contains the line "Is it any wonder that we fuss and fight?" which reflects the underlying tension that can arise when people are forced to live together in close quarters.


The second half of the song takes a more philosophical turn, with the singer urging listeners to treat their neighbors as they themselves would like to be treated. The refrain "Do unto strangers what you do to yourself" is a take on the Golden Rule, and is repeated multiple times to emphasize the importance of empathy and mutual respect. The final lines of the song reveal a specific source of animosity, with the singer warning his neighbors not to "mess with my baby" or "steal off my table" - highlighting the territorial nature of living in close quarters.


Overall, "Neighbors" is a poignant reflection on the difficulties of living in a densely populated world, and a call to treat others with kindness and understanding.


Line by Line Meaning

Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors
The singer is addressing the concept of neighbors


Neighbors, have I got neighbors?
The singer is questioning whether they have neighbors or not


Have I got neighbors?
The singer continues to question their neighbors' existence


All day and all night
The singer emphasizes that their neighbors are present all the time


Ladies, have I got crazies?
The singer is asking if their female neighbors are insane


Scheming young babies
The singer describes their neighbors as cunning and immature


No piece and no quiet
The singer complains about the lack of peace and quiet due to their neighbors


I got T.V.'s, saxophone playing
The singer lists the different noises they have to put up with due to their neighbors' activities


Groaning and straining
The singer describes the unpleasant sounds produced by their neighbors


With the trouble and strife
The singer emphasizes the negative aspects of their neighbors' influence


Is it any wonder
The singer questions whether it's surprising that they have conflicts with their neighbors


That we fuss and fight
The singer explains the reason for the conflicts with their neighbors


Neighbors, do unto strangers
The singer references the Golden Rule and urges their neighbors to treat strangers the way they want to be treated


Do unto neighbors
The singer emphasizes that the Golden Rule should also apply to neighbors


What you do to yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself
The singer repeats the phrase 'yourself' to emphasize that treating others well means treating yourself well


Neighbors do unto strangers
The singer repeats the message to urge their neighbors to treat strangers well


Do unto neighbors what you do to yourself
The singer restates the Golden Rule as it applies to neighbors


Yourself, yourself, yourself
The singer repeats 'yourself' to emphasize the importance of treating oneself well


Neighbors, neighbors, neighbors, neighbors
The singer repeats the word 'neighbors' to emphasize its significance


Neighbors, do yourself a favor
The singer urges their neighbors to do themselves a favor by treating others well


Don't you mess with my baby
The singer warns their neighbors not to bother their loved ones while they work all night


When I'm working all night
The singer explains the circumstances under which they need their neighbors to be quiet


You know that neighbors
The singer addresses their neighbors directly


Steal off my table
The singer accuses their neighbors of stealing from them


And do alright, alright, alright, alright
The singer adds that their neighbors seem to be doing fine despite their actions


Neighbors do unto strangers
The singer repeats the message one last time


Do unto strangers what you do to yourself, yourself, yourself, yourself
The singer repeats the Golden Rule, adding 'yourself' once again for emphasis


You're, you're, you're, you're, you're
The singer repeats 'you're' to address their neighbors directly once more


You're, you're, you're, you're, you're, you're alright
The singer adds that despite the conflicts, their neighbors are still considered 'alright'




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Greg Halder


on 2000 Light Years From Home

Totally underrated track and album..

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