2. This song was used in the 1978 Oscar-winning film Coming Home, one of the first mainstream films to deal with the aftereffects of the Vietnam War on its veterans. The film was directed by Hal Ashby, a huge fan of the Rolling Stones, who would direct the group's concert film Let's Spend the Night Together.
OUT OF TIME
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been away for far too long
You can't come back and think you are still mine
You're out of touch, my baby
My poor discarded baby
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Well, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
You are all left out
Out of there without a doubt
'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
The girl who wants to run away, discovers that she's had her day
It's no good thinking that you are still mine
You're out of touch, my baby, my poor unfaithful baby
I said baby, baby, baby you're out of time
Well, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Yes you are all left out
Out of there without a doubt
'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
You thought you were a clever girl giving up your social whirl
But you can't come back and be the first in line, oh no
You're obsolete, my baby, my poor old fashioned baby
I said baby, baby, baby you're out of time
Well, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Yes, you are all left out
Out of there without a doubt
'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Sing your song
Baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
You don't know what's going on
You've been away for far too long
But you can't come back and think you are still mine
You're out of touch, my baby
My poor discarded baby
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Well, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Yes you are all left out
Yes you are, I said you're
Left out of there without a doubt
'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Alright
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
The Rolling Stones’ “Out of Time” is a song about a relationship that has gone sour. The woman in the song has been away for too long and the singer feels that she’s no longer his. The song is a warning to the woman who thinks she can come back and regain ownership of him. In the first verse, the singer tells her that she’s out of touch, discarded and out of time. The warning is monumental in that now the woman is too late for him. The second verse is more of a scolding where the singer tells the woman that she’s now outdated, obsolete, and old-fashioned because she left her social life behind, but even after all that, she can’t come back and be the first in line again.
“Out of Time” portrays a common theme of the Rolling Stones, which is the melancholy that’s felt when a relationship ends. The lyrics express the singer’s sense of betrayal, loss, and frustration. The song’s melody is hauntingly beautiful, and the lyrics are full of heartache and haunting. The singer’s voice is soothing, yet melancholic, and creates a sense of unease. The song’s metaphors and messages are timeless and still resonate with listeners today.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't know what's going on
You're not aware of the current situation
You've been away for far too long
You've been gone for too long and things have changed since you left
You can't come back and think you are still mine
You can't expect me to still want you or be with you when you left
You're out of touch, my baby
You don't understand what's going on in my life
My poor discarded baby
You were cast aside and ignored
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I'm telling you that you're too late and missed your chance
You are all left out
You're excluded from something
Out of there without a doubt
You're completely left out no matter what
The girl who wants to run away, discovers that she's had her day
The person who wanted to leave realizes they're no longer wanted or necessary
It's no good thinking that you are still mine
You can't assume that you still have a place in my life
You're out of touch, my baby, my poor unfaithful baby
You don't understand what's going on and you were unfaithful
Yes you are all left out
You're completely excluded
You thought you were a clever girl giving up your social whirl
You believed it was smart to give up your social life
But you can't come back and be the first in line, oh no
You can't just come back and expect to be a priority or first choice
You're obsolete, my baby, my poor old fashioned baby
You're outdated and no longer have a place here
Sing your song
Express yourself
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
I reiterated that you missed your chance
Left out of there without a doubt
You're completely excluded without a question
Alright
Expression of affirmation
Baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Reiteration that you missed your chance
Yes you are, I said you're
Emphasizing that you really are excluded
I said, baby, baby, baby, you're out of time
Final statement that you are too late and missed your opportunity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Greg Halder
on 2000 Light Years From Home
Totally underrated track and album..