About the Song

Track: Rocks Off

Length: 4:31

Album: Exile on Main St (1972)

Artist: The Rolling Stones

Songwriter: Mick Jagger / Keith Richards

Favorite line: 

“The sunshine bores the daylights out of me / Chasing shadows, moonlight mystery”

Favorite verse: 

“Heading for an overload

Splattered on the dirty road

Kick me like you’ve been kicked before

I can’t even feel the pain no more”

© Sony / ATV Music Publishing LLC

Here’s Why I Love It

It’s so hard to divorce the lyrics from the sheer musical genius of the Stones. If you do that with Rocks Off, the song will confuse the shit out of you. Actually, even as one whole composition, it’s still quite confusing, but that’s why I love this record. The lyrics are so dark and dramatic, while the music feels light and uplifting. You don’t even have to listen to the lyrics to love it, but when you do, it brings a whole new meaning to the song. There’s much speculation about the meaning of the lyrics. Is it about excessive drug use? Is it about a lover who left you unable to enjoy anyone else? Is it about loud music and touring?

For me, this song is about what happens when you overstimulate yourself. Whether it be with drugs, women, or anything else. You can’t trick your mind. Once you know something is possible, once you “go there”, or once you do “it” again and again, then you’re screwed forever. You can’t get the same high you once you did. You can’t appreciate it the same way. On some level, I think we can all relate to that idea. Or as Mick Jagger howls in the chorus, “And I can only get my rocks off while I’m sleeping / I can only get my rocks off while I’m dreaming.” And honestly, how sad is that reality? So gripping.

Fun fact: This is actually the lead track on what many conclude is the Stones’ best album, Exile on Main St. Quite literally, they were tax exiles from the United Kingdom. Keith Richards established residence at Villa Nellcote in the south of France, and this is where most of the album was recorded. In his autobiography, he says the French Riviera served as their Main St., and that’s how the album name was derived. This song is very much a reflection of the time spent recording the album.

I love the Stones. I actually use them as a case study in The Gap. I couldn’t go another edition of this column without featuring them once, and Rocks Off is undoubtedly one of my favorites.

Listen to song and read the lyrics for full effect.

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*This article is part of the ongoing Lyrics I Love series: short interpretations of the meaning and story behind one song with lyrics that move me.