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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
Undercover
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Loud enough to bust your brains out
The opposition's tongue is cut in two
Keep off the street 'cause you're in danger
One hundred thousand disparus
Lost in the jails in South America
Cuddle up baby
Cuddle up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
The sex police are out there on the streets
Make sure the pass laws are not broken
The race militia has got itchy fingers
All the way from New York back to Africa
Cuddle up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Cuddle up baby
Sleep with all out of sight
Cuddle up baby
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Undercover
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
All the young men they've been rounded up
And sent to camps back in the jungle
And people whisper, people double-talk
And once proud fathers act so humble
All the young girls they have got the blues
They're heading on back to Center 42
Keep it undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Keep it undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
Down in the bars the girls are painted blue
Done up in lace, done up in rubber
The John's are jerky little G. I. Joe's
On R&R from Cuba and Russia
The smell of sex, the smell of suicide
All these things I can't keep inside
Undercover
Keep it all out of sight
Undercover of the night
Undercover of the night
Undercover
Undercover
Undercover of the night
The Rolling Stones' "Undercover of the Night" is a song that reflects the political and social atmosphere of the early 1980s. Jagger paints a picture of a chaotic world where the government and police are corrupt, innocent people are being imprisoned, and the sex trade is rampant. The first verse describes a dangerous place where people's lives are at risk, and where the government is silencing any opposition. The reference to "Center 42" is likely a reference to the notorious Argentine detention center known as Automotores Orletti, where people who were considered threats to the military dictatorship were imprisoned, tortured, and often killed.
The second verse describes the oppressive police state that is enforcing strict laws on sexuality and race. "Pass laws" were used in South Africa to control the movement of black citizens, and the reference to the "race militia" alludes to white supremacist groups in the United States. The chorus emphasizes the need for secrecy and concealment, urging the listener to "keep it all out of sight" to avoid arrest or worse. The song's final verse is a gut-wrenching portrayal of the sex trade, where young girls are coerced into prostitution and young men are rounded up and sent to camps. Jagger's lyrics paint a portrait of a society on the brink of collapse, where power and violence reign supreme.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear the screams of Center 42
The cries of those who are oppressed are deafening, and impossible to ignore.
Loud enough to bust your brains out
The pain and suffering caused by the oppression is overwhelming and unbearable.
The opposition's tongue is cut in two
The power holders are stifling any voice that speaks against their regime.
Keep off the street 'cause you're in danger
The streets are not a safe place, especially for those who are part of the opposition.
One hundred thousand disparus
There are countless people who have been taken away and have disappeared without a trace.
Lost in the jails in South America
The government is keeping these people locked up in jails, and their families have no idea where they are.
Cuddle up baby
Seek comfort from your loved ones in these times of unrest and turmoil.
Cuddle up tight
Hold each other closely, as you do not know what the future holds.
Keep it all out of sight
Do not draw attention to yourselves, and keep your actions and thoughts hidden from those who seek to do harm.
Undercover
Operate in secret and do not let your true intentions be known to the government or those who support them.
The sex police are out there on the streets
The government is cracking down on any form of sexuality that does not fit their strict rules and regulations.
Make sure the pass laws are not broken
People must abide by the strict laws that the government has put in place, or else they face severe consequences.
The race militia has got itchy fingers
The police force and military are ready to use force against any group that opposes the government.
All the young men they've been rounded up
Many young men have been taken away by the government and placed in detention camps.
And sent to camps back in the jungle
These detention camps are in remote areas, where they can be kept hidden from society.
And people whisper, people double-talk
People are afraid to speak their true thoughts, out of fear of the government cracking down on them.
And once proud fathers act so humble
The government has taken away the spirit and pride of many fathers who once fought for their freedom.
All the young girls they have got the blues
Many young women are also suffering due to the oppressive nature of the government.
They're heading on back to Center 42
These women are returning to the place where they are oppressed and silenced.
Down in the bars the girls are painted blue
Women are forced to hide their true selves and are forced to conform to the government's standards of beauty.
Done up in lace, done up in rubber
These women are forced to dress and behave in ways that are not true to themselves, but are acceptable to the government.
The John's are jerky little G. I. Joe's
The men who come to these bars looking for pleasure are often crude and disrespectful.
On R&R from Cuba and Russia
These men are often from military forces stationed in Cuba and Russia, who are given leave to visit these bars.
The smell of sex, the smell of suicide
The government's oppressive nature has led to a society that is filled with desperation and hopelessness.
All these things I can't keep inside
There is too much pain and suffering, and it cannot be contained or hidden.
Undercover of the night
Only by operating in secrecy and under the cover of darkness can one hope to stay safe and avoid detection by the government.
Contributed by Jake L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@nickking9353
Am I the only one who thinks that this is the Stones' best song ever?!
@katarzynapreiss7077
nope, this one & too much blood
@RDeckardN6
Not really !
@justinsas4779
Yes sir thats my go to ! Best song ever
@lookinforthemagic7434
you're cooked king
@jasonsphinx8461
~
@colin-nekritz
Director to Keith: “That was some good acting when you murdered Mick there.”
Keith: “Acting?! You mean the gun wasn’t loaded?!”
@brianallsopp69
Shit man can we go again ? lol
@thesolarengineer
Too bad Alex Baldwin was too young to 'produce' the video 😂
@TonyEnglandUK
lmao take two.