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If You Can’t Rock Me
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Musicland Studios, Munich, West-Germany, November 13 - 24, 1973,
Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Unit, Stargroves, Newbury, Berkshire, UK,
April 10 - 15, 1974 and Island Recording Studios, London, UK, May 20 - 25, 1974

Mick Jagger - lead vocals, backing vocals
Keith Richards - electric guitar, bass, backing vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Mick Taylor - electric guitar
Billy Preston - piano, clavinet
Ray Cooper - congas

The band's on stage and it's one of those nights, oh yeah
The drummer thinks that he is dynamite, oh yeah
You lovely ladies in your leather and lace
A thousand lips I would love to taste
I got one heart and it hurts like hell, but
If you can't rock me somebody will
If you can't rock me somebody will

Now, who's that black girl in the bright blue hair, oh yeah
Now, don't you know that it's rude to stare, oh yeah
I'm not so green but I'm feelin' so fresh
I simply love to put her to the test
She's so alive and she's dressed to kill, but
If you can't rock me somebody will
If you can't rock me somebody will
If you can't rock me somebody will
If you can't rock me somebody will, yeah

Now, I ain't lookin' for no pretty face, oh no
Or for some hooker workin' roughish trade
And there ain't nothing like a perfect mate
And I ain't lookin' for no wedding cake
But I been talkin' 'bout it much too long
I think I better sing just one more song
I got one heart and it hurts like hell
I'm simply dying for some thrills and spills, ooh yeah
If you can't rock me, if you can’t rock me
Somebody will, somebody will, somebody will
If you can't rock me, well, well, well, well

Produced by The Glimmer Twins

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll” LP
(Rolling Stones Records COC 79101) US, October 15, 1974
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If You Can’t Rock Me / Get Off Of My Cloud
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Earl’s Court Arena, London, UK, May 27, 1976 and
Atlantic Studios, New York City, New York, May 25 - June 20, 1977

Mick Jagger - lead vocals
Keith Richards - electric guitar
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Ron Wood - electric guitar
Billy Preston - keyboards, harmony vocals
Ollie E. Brown - percussion

The band's on stage, it's one of those nights, the drummer thinks that he’s dynamite
And I ain’t talkin’ ’bout no pretty face, and I ain’t talkin’ ’bout no wedding cake
I got one heart and it hurts like hell
If you won't rock me somebody will, if you won't rock me

Now, who's that black girl in the bright blue hair
Now, don't you know, it's rude to stare
And I been talkin' 'bout it much too long, I think I better do just one more song
I got one heart and it hurts like hell
If you won't rock me somebody will, if you won't rock me somebody will
If you won't rock me, if you won't rock me

If you won't rock me somebody will, if you won't rock me
If you won't rock me, if you won't rock me

I live on an apartment on the ninety-ninth floor of my block
And I sit at home looking out the window imagining the world had stopped
Then in flies a guy all dressed up like a Union Jack
I've just won two thousand dollars if I have his kind of detergent pack
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud, hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around boy, two's a crowd on my cloud

Yeah, I was sick and tired, fed up with this, decided to take a drive downtown
It was so very quiet and peaceful, there was nobody, not a soul around
I laid myself out, I was so tired and I started to dream
In the morning the parking tickets were just like flags on my windowscreen
What’s that baby, hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud, hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around boy, two's a crowd

Somebody say: Hey - Somebody say: Hey - Somebody say: Hey
Hey, you, get off of my cloud
Hey, you, get off of my cloud, hey, you, get off of my cloud
Don't hang around, two's a crowd on my cloud

Produced by The Glimmer Twins

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Love You Live” 2LP
(Rolling Stones Records COC 2-9001) US, September 16, 1977

Great original version, with a couple of nice sizzling Taylor licks. Live version is ok, but not to the same standard.

I think it had become a great live-song...but from that album IORR is far better....

2 1 2 0

Years ago when I first heard this song I thought the lyrics were, got one hard on and it hurts like hell".....

Maybe it's not the most original song they've ever come up with, but I really enjoy it.
I prefer the live versions from the Licks Tour over the 75/76 versions that evolve into
Get off of my cloud.





Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

I must admit I was underwhelmed when I first heard this.

Compared to other openers such as Sympathy For The Devil, Gimme Shelter, Brown Sugar, Rock's Off and even Dancing With Mr D it was was I call, the start of the 'Roger Moore Years' for the Stones as opposed to the cool Sean Connery years before then. The menace had gone and it was replaced with tongue-in-cheek humour.

For me, It's Only Rock'n'Roll represented the start of comedy and self-parody in the Stones recording career - songs like the title track, Short and Curlies, If You Really Want To Be My Friend, and this.

I guess a lot of the tension and drama of the psychedelic London years with their busts; Nellcote and Jamaica had ended and the Stones were generally living apart and enjoying their own domestic situations rather than living near each other and living common experiences as they used to.

Anyway, back to the song - it's an averaqe rocker for the band but it's let down by a true lack of dynamics. There's no light and dark or the sudden killer introduction of Sympathy like guitar solo to melt your brain.

So for me a mildly enjoyable toe tapper but nothing special.

BTW - I never knew that the Love You Live version was partly recorded at Earl's Cort 76. How many other songs from Earl's Court made it onto Love You Live?

If you cant rock me is one of their best songs. It is perfect. Live in 1975 is my choice. I think it is one of the most original rock songs ever. It's so simple and yet swinging and rocking all over the place. The studio version doesnt do the song justice and I blame it on the mix that suffers from the late glam period of 1973 (perfect for GHS under Miller) colliding with the more edgy 1974 and funky 1975. It's a lot funkier than one thinks. And it was great in 1976 but not on the jet fuel of 1975.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-08-08 13:00 by Redhotcarpet.

Agree! The 1975 versions is often fantastic, and I liked the fact that it went right into (a fab!) Get Off Of My Cloud!!!

Both the studio version on IORR and the live Version on LYL are great. Particularly the connection with "Get Off Of My Cloud" on LYL is a blueprint of Rock music.

i always loved this song...best song on a not too good album, i would say....

It was very good for the 1973 - 1976 era, but in 1969 - 1972 it would've remained an outtake...

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Sleepy City
It was very good for the 1973 - 1976 era, but in 1969 - 1972 it would've remained an outtake...

Loved the tune but your probably right on this

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marcovandereijk
Maybe it's not the most original song they've ever come up with, but I really enjoy it.
I prefer the live versions from the Licks Tour over the 75/76 versions that evolve into
Get off of my cloud.

IMO it has never worked live after 1975/1976. I dont like the way Mick sings the verses now. It really kills the song when he does that.

One of the best!!!!!

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Redhotcarpet

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marcovandereijk
Maybe it's not the most original song they've ever come up with, but I really enjoy it.
I prefer the live versions from the Licks Tour over the 75/76 versions that evolve into
Get off of my cloud.

IMO it has never worked live after 1975/1976. I dont like the way Mick sings the verses now. It really kills the song when he does that.

Mick is having major trouble with the lyrics here

a very simple track and not original at all, but I really like it; there were moments when I listened to it over & over

What made the studio version magical is Mick's vocals.

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DandelionPowderman
What made the studio version magical is Mick's vocals.

Strangely enough that's what I find the most irritating about the studio version. I prefer the 1975 / 1976 live versions (at least until the part where they start murdering Get Off Of My Cloud...).

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Sleepy City

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DandelionPowderman
What made the studio version magical is Mick's vocals.

Strangely enough that's what I find the most irritating about the studio version. I prefer the 1975 / 1976 live versions (at least until the part where they start murdering Get Off Of My Cloud...).

LOL! That's one of my favorite Mick-vocals

There exist fantastic and more raw mix of this masterpiece on It`s only Goat`s Head Soup boot.Enjoy!

Although not a terrible song by any means, this is exactly the point where the long decline began. The IORR album had two songs about rock, which both seemed rather forced to me. Sort of like when Pete Townshend started writing songs about writing songs for The Who ("Guitar and Pen", "New Song"). I did like the version they did in '75 with "Cloud". Forgot that Ray Cooper was on percussion on this one.

Better live version to me. Don't like the bass from Palais Royale.

The fantastic drumming on Get Off My Cloud had to be used to write another song

If you can't rock me is a great and original song, I also prefer 2003 over 75/76 mainly cos Ronnie found out how to play along with it.

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71Tele
The IORR album had two songs about rock, which both seemed rather forced to me.

I really don't think that "If You Can't Rock Me" is about "rock" as much as it is "sex."

In my mind, the word "rock" is a euphemism, and the song could have been called, "If You Can't F**k Me"

(Not unlike a great track on the first album by the Dwight Twilley Band called, "Baby Let's Cruise" in which "screw" seemed more like the operative word )



But the recording of "If You Can't Rock Me" on IORR is a letdown...too dry, too clean, no space. Keith's quote when the album came out, "F**king Dolbys!"

A Bob Clearmountain re-mix could probably do justice to this song.

IMHO If you can't fu.. I mean Rock Me is probably the only well produced song on the whole record, BECAUSE it doesn't have the same tense production as say Rocks Off or Brown Sugar.

Probably at most only 2-3 guitar tracks,really funky. Dry and not tense, Not any acoustics, a lot of glam and a LOT OF Faces!!

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loog droog

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71Tele
The IORR album had two songs about rock, which both seemed rather forced to me.

I really don't think that "If You Can't Rock Me" is about "rock" as much as it is "sex."

In my mind, the word "rock" is a euphemism, and the song could have been called, "If You Can't F**k Me"

(Not unlike a great track on the first album by the Dwight Twilley Band called, "Baby Let's Cruise" in which "screw" seemed more like the operative word )



But the recording of "If You Can't Rock Me" on IORR is a letdown...too dry, too clean, no space. Keith's quote when the album came out, "F**king Dolbys!"

A Bob Clearmountain re-mix could probably do justice to this song.

I agree with that. I do still think that track - and that album - marked the beginning of a long decline and diminished inspiration (broken up by Some Girls and Tattoo You).

Great interaction between guitars; the middle section with te break is wonderful. A very classic RS's rocker. Drums are greta too, as MJ's vocals.
In my opinion this is a very underrated album (time waits for no one, fingerprint file, till the next time, luxury, IORR, if you can't rock me............. A bad album? Are you sure? Maybe better than the overrated SG)

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KeithNacho
Great interaction between guitars; the middle section with te break is wonderful. A very classic RS's rocker. Drums are greta too, as MJ's vocals.
In my opinion this is a very underrated album (time waits for no one, fingerprint file, till the next time, luxury, IORR, if you can't rock me............. A bad album? Are you sure? Maybe better than the overrated SG)

I agree on all the songs you mention being great. The main problem is not the quality of the songs, but the mix AND the production. It's almost unlistenable. The only songs with ok sound, imo are Till The Next Time We Say Goodbye, If You Really Want... and Short And Curlies. Fingerprint File isn't too bad either.