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Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor.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)
What to Do
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I really don't know
I really don't know what to do
What to do yeah
I really don't know
I really don't know
Maybe when the TV stops
Watch the screen just fade away
Now, I really don't know
I really don't know
What to do yeah
Well, I really don't know
I really don't know what to do
What to do yeah
I really don't know
I really don't know
There's a place where you get bored
That's what you make your money for
Drink and dance 'til four o'clock
Now, you really don't know
You really don't know what to do yeah
Nothin' to do, nowhere to go
You're talkin' to people that you don't know
There's na-na-nothin', to do-do-do
There's na-na-nothin', (no) no
You (I) really don't what to do yeah
Well, I really don't know
I really don't know what to do
What to do yeah
I really don't know
I really don't know
Hurry people get on your train
Don't be late for work again
Take this time to go to bed
Now, I really don't know
I really don't know what to do yeah
Nothin' to do, nowhere to go
You're talkin' to people that you don't know
There's na-na-nothin', to do-do-do
You're sick n' tired of foolin' 'round
There's na-na-nothin', to do-do-do
To do-do-do, to do-do-do
There's na-na-nothin', na-na-nothin'
Na-na-nothin', na-na-nothin'
Na-na-nothin', na-na-nothin'
Na-na-nothin'
The Rolling Stones’ song “What to Do” is a reflection on apathy and boredom. The song is about a person who doesn’t know what to do with themselves and is looking for something, anything to fill that void. The lyrics describe a character who is drifting through life, spending their time in monotonous pursuits such as watching TV, drinking, and talking to strangers. They yearn for a sense of purpose and meaning, but are left feeling empty and unfulfilled. The song suggests that many people struggle with these feelings of disorientation and that the search for meaning is a common human experience.
The lyrics of “What to Do” invite the listener to consider the fragility of human existence and the difficulty of finding one’s place in the world. The song is an existential meditation on the meaning of life and a warning against complacency and apathy. The Rolling Stones are famous for their ability to explore the human condition in their music and “What to Do” is a prime example of their insightful lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
What to do yeah
The singer is expressing their confusion and uncertainty about what to do in a given situation
I really don't know
The singer emphasizes their lack of understanding or knowledge about what to do
Maybe when the TV stops
The singer suggests that they might be able to figure out what to do once they stop distracting themselves with television
Faded out on the epilogue
The singer describes the end of a story or plotline that they were watching on television
Watch the screen just fade away
The singer is describing the act of turning off the television and watching the screen turn blank
There's a place where you get bored
The singer is possibly referring to a specific location that they find dull or tedious
That's what you make your money for
The singer suggests that people work hard in order to be able to enjoy life's pleasures like drinking and dancing
Drink and dance 'til four o'clock
The singer advises people to enjoy themselves by consuming alcohol and dancing late into the night
Nothin' to do, nowhere to go
The singer is feeling bored and restless with nowhere to go or no activities to engage in
You're talkin' to people that you don't know
The singer may be describing a situation where they are socializing with strangers due to boredom
There's na-na-nothin', to do-do-do
The singer repeats the idea that there is nothing to do, emphasizing their frustration and boredom
Hurry people get on your train
The singer may be advising people to keep moving forward and not get stuck in one place
Don't be late for work again
The singer may be emphasizing the importance of punctuality and responsibility
Take this time to go to bed
The singer is possibly suggesting that people use this time to rest and recharge
You're sick n' tired of foolin' 'round
The singer is expressing their dissatisfaction or frustration with their current situation
To do-do-do, to do-do-do
The singer repeats the phrase 'to do' to emphasize their desire for something to do
Na-na-nothin', na-na-nothin'
The singer repeats the word 'nothing' to emphasize their boredom and lack of options
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
Well,Now, I really don't What to do yeah.
Maybe when the TV stops.
Faded out on the epilogue.
Watch the screen just fade away.
There's a place where you get bored,
that's what you make your money for.
Drink and dance 'til four o'clock.
Now, you really don't know.
You really don't know what to do yeah.
Nothin' to do, nowhere to go.
You're talkin' to people that you don't know.
There's na-na-nothin', to do-do-do.
There's na-na-nothin', (no) no.
You (I) really don't what to do yeah.
Hurry people get on your train.
Don't be late for work again.
Take this time to go to bed.
Now, I really don't know,
I really don't know what to do yeah.
Nothin' to do, nowhere to go.
You're talkin' to people that you don't know.
There's na-na-nothin', to do-do-do.
You're sick n' tired of foolin' 'round.
@PimpYourTrash
I know. ... Share this underated gem.
@blonieamw2998
Sum fax bronem
@gregorylata4830
Great tune 🇨🇦🎸🎸🎸🤗🥰🌞☮️👍
@danielvelasco3791
Rolling Stones forever and ever!
@goransailer5013
Started to listen 1966.
@markrny5183
And ever.
@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe
I'm afraid Mick working on Bots already. Ever was 1980 .
@midogiscalledlilly
RIP CHARLIE ONE OF THE BEST TO EVER DO IT.
@maximpopov8651
What a wonderful masterpiece 💙
@mkruup
Such a friendly song. That good old sixties feel.