Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
________________________________________________________________________________

Doncha Bother Me
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

RCA Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, December 3 - 8, 1965

Mick Jagger - vocals, harmonica
Keith Richards - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Brian Jones - electric slide guitar
Ian Stewart - piano
Jack Nitzsche - percussion

I said: Oh no, doncha follow me no more
I said: Oh no, doncha follow me no more
Well, I'm looking for my face and I got no place to go

I said: Oh no, doncha follow me no more
I said: Oh no, doncha follow me no more
Well, pick your own mind and don't touch mine no more

Still waiting here for a single idea
In your clothes and your hair, I wore it last year
Oh no, doncha follow me no more

I said: Oh no, doncha copy me no more
I said: Oh no, doncha copy me no more
Well, the lines round my eyes are protected by a copyright law

Well, all the clubs and the bars and the little red cars
Not knowing why, but trying to get high
Oh no, doncha follow me no more

Doncha follow
Doncha follow

Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Aftermath” LP
(Decca SKL 4786) UK, April 15, 1966



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-07-13 11:54 by René.

Great song, as all the Aftermath songs are great

__________________________

Incredibly good lyrics. In just a few lines Mick is scetching a very rich image here.
Perfect song in combination with other Aftermath songs like Think, Stupid girl, It's not easy
and Under my thumb.

If I didn't know this had been written in 1965 I'd have thought it was about those obsessive fans who later tried to copy Keith's every move - the lines round the eyes and the getting high... However, whoever the subject is, the lyrics are right on target.

I guess "Jack Nitzsche - percussion" is responsible for the opening/closing drumbeats while Charlie does the more conventional drumming?

>> In just a few lines Mick is sketching a very rich image here <<

Mick & Keith, isn't it? i mean: to me this lyric sounds like a collaboration

Aftermath's irresistible quirkiness ... can't get enough! :E

Sure this is Jagger on harmonica? Sounds more like Jones to me.

Mathijs



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-12-20 13:59 by Mathijs.

Infactions groove, thumping Beat, funny lyrics, slide guitar, catchy harmonica part...what is there NOT to like about this song?

With it's cruel, dismissive gesture towards a former lover, played to a seemingly care-free, loose/tight, bluesy/raunchy arrangement, this song epitomises the inherent anti-feminist theme of the album, and in doing so, provides the very antithesis of the all-too-prevalent, smaltzy love songs of the time.

The arrangement is gloriously understated with the harmonica helping to add to the general languid atmosphere of the song, punctuated only by an occasional bar or two of raunch at the end of each of each verse.

...minimalism at it's very best.

One of my personal favorite Stones songs. Simple but brilliant with a nice bridge bringing the whole thing together.

That's the thing: nobody but people here even know this song. Totally obscure. And still it is priceless.

Doncha Bother Me i feel has been completely overlooked generally, which is really unfortunate as it's one of the few songs on Aftermath that really reflects the Stones blues roots, and it does so extremely well. It may not be amongst the standout tracks in terms of inspiration and song quality on Aftermath, but like say Hide Your Love off Goats Head Soup, it's a very neat and effective song and the more it is listened to the more it is appreciated. I'd actually go as far as to say it's one of the songs i think of first when playing the album. Lyrically, it very much represents the sort of male chauvanist attitude of Under My Thumb and Stupid Girl, and many other of the songs from the 66-67 period, but musically it comes from a much earlier time. It's very much an unearthed treasure for many.

Quote
Mathijs
Sure this is Jagger on harmica? Sounds more like Jones to me.

Mathijs

Not sure either, both Zentgraff and Hoffman credit Jagger on harmonica.
Tricky one, to me the harmonica part doesn't have a typical Jones or Jagger trademark.

René

Misogynism never sounded so good. Stupid Girl, Under My Thumb, Out Of Time, Think and of course Doncha Bother Me - the put downs came thick and fast on this album. Chrissie Shrimpton must have had a heart attack when she first heard it as it was moreorless a kiss off to her.
I also love the way it merges a very cool down south country/soul feel with a kind of druggy, London about to go psychedelic vibe. The Stones and The Beatles with Revolver were way ahead of the pack, in the UK at least, in capturing that new psychedelic pop vibe and it unfurls itself here with some really unusual arrangements, new sounds such as Brian's marimba and Keith's guitar on Mother's Little Helper and those sneering lyrics.

Not a big fan of Aftermath, but Doncha Bother me is one of the all-time great rare Stones gems. It shows why Brian was one of the greatest bottleneck players of all time.

slight edit, steve...

Quote
stevecardi
Not a big fan of Aftermath, but Doncha Bother me is one of the all-time great rare Stones gems. It shows why Brian was one of the greatest bottleneck players [to be born in the United Kingdom].

Quote
cc
slight edit, steve...

Quote
stevecardi
Not a big fan of Aftermath, but Doncha Bother me is one of the all-time great rare Stones gems. It shows why Brian was one of the greatest bottleneck players [to be born in the United Kingdom].

Thanks CC. Brian was great, but Robert and Elmore are the greatest!

My favorite song of "Aftermath" located between Blues and Rock. Belongs to the songs you can give as an example if you want to make somebody clear what is the musical profile of our band.

Quote
Green Lady


I guess "Jack Nitzsche - percussion" is responsible for the opening/closing drumbeats while Charlie does the more conventional drumming?

I suppose so.....those little rolls that start and stop the song...

Being a drummer I always noticed those too ....nice to see someone else noticed them too....

Marv

Marv Peck

Y'all remember that rubber legged boy

It's almost as if the idea for the song started from somebody drumming their fingers to that rhythm and then all the rest was built over it.

Something of interest is that Brian's slide guitar only plays the slide on A if I remember right, it doesn't play anything else during the entire track, just that obvious slide bit. Other guitars play the chuck berry rhythm etc.

Quote
His Majesty
Something of interest is that Brian's slide guitar only plays the slide on A if I remember right, it doesn't play anything else during the entire track, just that obvious slide bit. Other guitars play the chuck berry rhythm etc.

That's correct, and he also plays the prominant notes during the bridge.

Quote
cc
slight edit, steve...

Quote
stevecardi
Not a big fan of Aftermath, but Doncha Bother me is one of the all-time great rare Stones gems. It shows why Brian was one of the greatest bottleneck players [to be born in the United Kingdom].

Brian Jones brought the slide guitar to the masses, being the first white boy to play it in front of audiences around the world on television. For that reason alone, he is one of the most important slide players ever.

Quote
neptune

Quote
His Majesty
Something of interest is that Brian's slide guitar only plays the slide on A if I remember right, it doesn't play anything else during the entire track, just that obvious slide bit. Other guitars play the chuck berry rhythm etc.

That's correct, and he also plays the prominant notes during the bridge.

That's not the same guitar track though.

The open E tuned guitar only plays the obvious slide part, nothing else.

Quote
Green Lady
It's almost as if the idea for the song started from somebody drumming their fingers to that rhythm and then all the rest was built over it.

Jack Nitzsche - percussion (table top)

lol

Marv Peck

Y'all remember that rubber legged boy

They have such a huge catalogue of songs to pick one and make it your own by covering it. This one and "Almost Hear You Sigh" would be my picks if I were a singer.

Quote
neptune

Quote
cc
slight edit, steve...

Quote
stevecardi
Not a big fan of Aftermath, but Doncha Bother me is one of the all-time great rare Stones gems. It shows why Brian was one of the greatest bottleneck players [to be born in the United Kingdom].

Brian Jones brought the slide guitar to the masses, being the first white boy to play it in front of audiences around the world on television. For that reason alone, he is one of the most important slide players ever.

Exactly, without Brian, there would be no Duane Allmann or Ry Cooder!

Quote
billwebster
They have such a huge catalogue of songs to pick one and make it your own by covering it. This one and "Almost Hear You Sigh" would be my picks if I were a singer.

"Almost Hear You Sigh": last great Stones ballad.

Quote
His Majesty

Quote
neptune

Quote
His Majesty
Something of interest is that Brian's slide guitar only plays the slide on A if I remember right, it doesn't play anything else during the entire track, just that obvious slide bit. Other guitars play the chuck berry rhythm etc.

That's correct, and he also plays the prominant notes during the bridge.

That's not the same guitar track though.

The open E tuned guitar only plays the obvious slide part, nothing else.

Are you sure? Brian's part sounds like it could be one track. He plays the obvious slide, and then continues with the Berry rythm, all in open E. Only at the very end both parts can be heard together, but the Berry guitar sounds a bit different, which could indicate an overdub.

Keith does all the counter notes in the other channel, and the acoustic guitar.

And I am pretty sure that's Brian on harmonica.

Mathijs

Quote
Mathijs


Are you sure? Brian's part sounds like it could be one track. He plays the obvious slide, and then continues with the Berry rythm, all in open E. Only at the very end both parts can be heard together, but the Berry guitar sounds a bit different, which could indicate an overdub.

Keith does all the counter notes in the other channel, and the acoustic guitar.

And I am pretty sure that's Brian on harmonica.

Mathijs

I'm sure the berry part isn't played by the same open E slide guitar, that it is a separate guitar.

Doesn't mean I'm right though, just a conclusion I came to after working out parts awhile ago. I can't remember, but perhaps there's a bit where they overlap or something!? I don't have the album anymore.

One of my favorites on the album. I would love to hear it live today.

Now the title says Doncha Bother Me but in the lyrics its Doncha Follow Me not once is Doncha Bother Me in the lyrics list.

I does sound like "Doncha Follow Me" but its hard to tell if they say "Doncha Bother Me" anywhere.