I never actually understood the lyrics to "Brown Sugar". Apparently its about slavery and whippings.

[shortylickens]

And the Stones have finally decided to drop it from their rotation.

The Rolling Stones Have Dropped Brown Sugar From the Set After 50 Years

One song missing from the current Rolling Stones setlist is the classic ‘Brown Sugar’.

www.noise11.com

On a completely unrelated topic: The Rolling Stones still hold concerts after 50 years.

 

[IronWing]

Not much ambiguity here.

Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields
Sold in a market down in New Orleans
Scarred old slaver knows he's doing alright
Hear him whip the women just around midnight

Brown sugar
How come you taste so good?
Brown sugar
Just like a young girl should

Drums beating, cold English blood runs hot
Lady of the house wonderin' where it's gonna stop
House boy knows that he's doing alright
You shoulda heard him just around midnight

Brown sugar
How come you taste so good, now?
Brown sugar
Just like a young girl should
Ah, get along, brown sugar
How come you taste so good
Ah, got me feelin' now, brown sugar
Just like a black girl should

I bet your mama was a tent show queen
And all her boyfriends were sweet sixteen
I'm no schoolboy but I know what I like
You shoulda heard me just around midnight

 

[trenchfoot]

Liked the musicality, liked playing it on my axe, never ever paid much attention to the lyrics cuz' they were just noise getting in the way of the instruments. I never had a singing voice worth listening to (my wifey said she'd divorce me if I ever sang karaoke in front of her relatives and friends) so figuring out shapes, timings and buying sheet music before the University of Youtube came along was all I concentrated on.

 

[conehead433]

In a somewhat related way Van Morrison changed the lyrics to what would have been 'Brown Skinned Girl' to 'Brown Eyed Girl' for reasons.

 

[K1052]

People don't listen to lyrics. Popular wedding favorites include songs about men having sex at the gym, jerking off, stalking, rape, drugs etc.

 

[HomerJS]

I never understood the verse of this song just the chorus. Not the only song in history with fucked up lyrics.

In this case these lyrics could be viewed as telling a story as it was not glorifying it. I know a little about the stones history and I doubt they were intending the latter.

 

[Lezunto]

I am one who always did listen to lyrics. In fact, I would go to Colony Music on 50th in Manhattan just to buy lyric sheets for my 45 records. This was ages ago.

I knew what "Brown Sugar" was about when I first heard it. And Mick Jagger admitted several years ago that he could in good conscience write that song.

The tune has a driving and rapid dance beat. I changed the offending lyrics in my head to enjoy the beat. And I must admit, I have always been a huge Rolling Stones fan.

 

[iRONic]

"University of Youtube" - PERFECT!!!

 

[MichaelMay]

I never understood the verse of this song just the chorus. Not the only song in history with fucked up lyrics.

In this case these lyrics could be viewed as telling a story as it was not glorifying it. I know a little about the stones history and I doubt they were intending the latter.

I think it is about telling the story but racists will inevitably get it wrong, they are not bright enough to understand even the simplest things.

 

[MichaelMay]

People don't listen to lyrics. Popular wedding favorites include songs about men having sex at the gym, jerking off, stalking, rape, drugs etc.

I do, all of the music I like that HAS lyrics is music I enjoy because the lyrics has meaning.

 

[HomerJS]

Remember the outrage about the Prince song Darling Nikki doing something most of us do? Those lyrics were comparingly harmless.

For the record I think the Stones should keep the song in rotation for the same reason we shouldn't rename the Edmund Pettis bridge. There are things that need to be kept so people don't forget this countries past.

 

[feralkid]

I always heard it as "Braunschweiger, how come you taste so good?"

Inspired by the Stones' first German tour in 1965.

Will never taste the same anymore.

 

[woolfe9998]

In a somewhat related way Van Morrison changed the lyrics to what would have been 'Brown Skinned Girl' to 'Brown Eyed Girl' for reasons.

Makes me wonder why he didn't change the lyrics to "Cyprus Avenue" which is about an adult's desire for a 14 year old girl. I guess that wasn't as stigmatized when he wrote it.

 

[woolfe9998]

LOL I could never make out the "slaver" lyrics. I always assumed the song was about a guy who was really in to black chicks. Like the Doors' "Hello, I Love You."

 

[hal2kilo]

Liked the musicality, liked playing it on my axe, never ever paid much attention to the lyrics cuz' they were just noise getting in the way of the instruments. I never had a singing voice worth listening to (my wifey said she'd divorce me if I ever sang karaoke in front of her relatives and friends) so figuring out shapes, timings and buying sheet music before the University of Youtube came along was all I concentrated on.

You almost always need a lyrics sheet if you want to understand what Mic sings in a song.

 

[Lezunto]

You almost always need a lyrics sheet if you want to understand what Mic sings in a song.

Really? "Time Is On My Side," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Sympathy for the Devil?"

I beg to differ.

 

[hal2kilo]

Really? "Time Is On My Side," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "Sympathy for the Devil?"

I beg to differ.

Let it Bleed? Actually, I blame mostly the shitty quality of London recordings and their 45's.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I have heard they originally wanted to name the song “black pussy” but record label said no way.
Kind of explains the song.

 

[cytg111]

Damn im a rhythm dude, dont pay attention to the lyrics much… As for brown sugar I had just assumed that was about heroin lol.
Speaking of lyrics, so this “Donda” thing dropped right? Am I the only one who thinks its shit? From start to end? Dont get the hype, guess the lyrics must be great

 

[shortylickens]

Heroin would not be a bad assumption.
In fact, its possible the song has a dual meaning. Addiction to heroin can be like physicals abuse.

I found out many years later that Closer is not about sex. Its about drug addiction. Trent Renzor was comparing it to rape.

 

[1prophet]

Are the cancel culture revolution langoliers running out of confederate statues to chew on while the same cheering liberals who wish to change the Star Spangled Banner for reasons are now performing mental gymnastics to defend the explicit racism in "Brown Sugar", now that the same woke monster they have created is coming for their beloved sacred cows?

 

[nakedfrog]

Now listen to the lyrics to Electric Avenue!

 

[shortylickens]

Are the cancel culture revolution langoliers running out of confederate statues to chew on while the same cheering liberals who wish to change the Star Spangled Banner for reasons are now performing mental gymnastics to defend the explicit racism in "Brown Sugar", now that the same woke monster they have created is coming for their beloved sacred cows?

OK, so clearly you didnt read the article, or the thread. Thats fine. I dont expect much from Anandtech people these days.


NO ONE tried to cancel Brown Sugar.

The Stones, of their own volition, decided to stop singing it because THEY feel its no longer appropriate.
The Stones.
The Rolling Fucking Stones.
The dickheads who wrote the god damn song.
The owners of the song.
They are choosing to not sing it any more. After 50 years.

 

[HomerJS]

Are the cancel culture revolution langoliers running out of confederate statues to chew on while the same cheering liberals who wish to change the Star Spangled Banner for reasons are now performing mental gymnastics to defend the explicit racism in "Brown Sugar", now that the same woke monster they have created is coming for their beloved sacred cows?

404 - cancel culture not found. Sounds like their personal decision

 

[Muse]

People don't listen to lyrics. Popular wedding favorites include songs about men having sex at the gym, jerking off, stalking, rape, drugs etc.

It's somewhat true for me but once I realized it I try to listen more. How you listen has a lot to do with it. When I listen with headphones (and mine are really good Etymotic Research earbuds) everything is so much clearer and in relief. If I pay attention it's usually not hard to make out the lyrics. Of course, many songs' lyrics are hard to make out under the best conditions, at least for me (my hearing sucks, relatively speaking, tinnitus trashed ears). Still, the buds help a ton and I can and often do when possible tweak the EQ to boost the treble, which is where I'm pretty deficient (have had hearing tests).

I really believe that many songs' lyrics are hard to make out because they suck. The artists realize that the lyrics took a distinct back seat to the other elements of the song. Many times they are an afterthought. The best songs lyrics really matter, are important. The really best songs lyrics are poetic, of course. An artist whose song has the lyrics central to the communication will insist on having them up front and clear.

I was never aware of the lyrics of Brown Sugar. TBH, it shocks me that the Stones did that. Doesn't seem like them, not to me.