Album: Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (1966)

Charted: 5 24

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• Have you seen your mother, baby, standing in the shadow?
  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
  I'm all alone, won't you give all your sympathy to mine?
  
  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 Writer/s: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER
  Publisher: Abkco Music Inc., BMG Rights Management
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 14

• Anonymous from FloridaI once read that the song was controversial because it implied that boys get more of their personality from their mother than their father, thus, her "standing in the shadows" . There was a controversial study in the 1960's that implied this. This was mentioned in Tony Sanchez "Up and Down with the Rolling Stones.
• Humbucker from Yorkshire, UkCould it be Mick and Keef's take on Nell Dunn's 1963 book of short stories, Up The Junction?
  Set in the slums of London and covering the seedier side of life, with topics ranging from prostitution, abortion and petty crime, it seems a likely possibility.
  The record itself fits into that classic mid-60s section of Stones songs which remain unsurpassed in both sound and structure. The outro still raises the neck hair!
• Robert Weingartner from Staten Island, New York, United StatesIn a personal email to me, former Rolling Stones record producer stated it was his idea to put horns in "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?", and that the idea was inspired by the then current Ike & Tina Turner hit, "River Deep, Mountain High".
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 11th 1966, the Rolling Stones performed "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadows?" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
  Three weeks later on October 2nd, 1966 it entered Billboard's Hot Top chart at position #40; and three weeks later on October 23rd it peaked at #9 {for 2 weeks}, and then on its 7th and final week on the Top 100 it was at #46...
  It also reached #9 in Germany...
  On the same 'Sullivan' show they performed "Paint It, Black" {it peaked at #1 for 2 weeks on June 5th, 1966} and "Lady Jane" {which reached #24 for 1 week on August 7th, 1966}.
• Alastair from Stranraer, United KingdomAlways thought this song was about prostitution... painting a grim image of passing clients looking for comfort with both men and women (have you seen your mother/brother) in shadowy back alleys, a place for illicit sex and unwanted pregnancies.
• Devin from Rancho Cucamonga, CaI disagree with Keith Richards. There are a lot of unpolished rock and roll gems, and this is one of them. If they made the mix 'perfect' it would lose a lot of its raw energy. It fits well with their image too, especially, since the Beatles were starting to get rougher-around-the-edges with their music and image at that time (Revolver).
• Emily from Detroit, MiThe last 10 seconds or so of this song are the best -- that great, echoey guitar strumming -- pure rock n roll!
• Juan from Buenos Aires, ArgentinaI don't like the horns. I wonder how this song could be without them. KR is right saying that the mix is awful.
• Ptlover from None Ya, KsLet's see; how can we summarize this song: Completely awesome and unlike anything ever. Love it!
• George from Oc, MdGreatest ending to a song I ever heard.
• Elliott from Douglassville, PaThis is apparently why The Stones had to mime their appearance on Sullivan, rather than play live (which is a shame, I think) - since Brian Jones couldn't really use his hand properly. He also had to play sitar on "Paint It Black" and dulcimer on "Lady Jane" - I guess it was better safe than sorry.
• Matt from Russell Springs, KyRidiculously long song title, good fun! Oh, and how did they get feedback to sound so bizarre? Is there a production trick on it or something? I've never gotten or even heard feedback quite like that anywhere else.
• Simon from Brno, Czech RepublicIan Stewart and Keith Richards played the pianos.
• Chelsea from Nyc, OrKeith played piano. Jagger called this tune "the ultimate freakout" because of it's breakneck speed and mega production.

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