About the song
“Get Off of My Cloud” is a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released as a single in 1965.
Background:
- Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song was a direct follow-up to their previous hit, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
- It was recorded in Hollywood, California, in early September 1965 and quickly topped charts in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany.
- The song is notable for its energetic sound, driven by a prominent cowbell and guitar riff.
Lyrics:
The lyrics express a strong desire for privacy and freedom from unwanted intrusions in the narrator’s life.
- Verse 1: The narrator describes living in an apartment, imagining the world has stopped, when someone arrives with a sales pitch, prompting the exclamation “Get off of my cloud!”
- Chorus: The chorus reinforces the narrator’s desire for solitude, repeating the phrase “Hey! You! Get off of my cloud!”
- Verse 2: The narrator further emphasizes their frustration with intrusions, mentioning phone calls and people knocking on their door, demanding to be left alone.
Themes:
- Privacy and Independence: The song strongly reflects the desire for personal space and freedom from external pressures.
- Consumerism: The lyrics touch upon the annoyance of unwanted sales pitches and consumerism, suggesting a rejection of materialistic values.
- Youthful Rebellion: With its energetic sound and defiant lyrics, the song embodies the spirit of youthful rebellion that characterized the rock music of the era.
“Get Off of My Cloud” is a classic Rolling Stones song that captures a zeitgeist of youthful frustration with intrusions and a yearning for independence. Its catchy tune and rebellious spirit have resonated with audiences for decades.
Video
Lyrics
I live on an apartmentOn the ninety-ninth floor of my blockAnd I sit at home lookin’ out the windowImaginin’ the world has stopped
Then in flies a guyWho’s all dressed up just like the Union JackHe says “I would drive aroundIf I had his kind of detergent pack”
I said, “Hey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudDon’t hang around ’cause two’s a crowdOn my cloud baby”
The telephone is ringin’I say, “Hi, it’s me, who is it there on the line?”A voice says, “Hi, hello, how are you?Well, I guess I’m doin’ fine”
It’s three a.m., there’s too much noiseDon’t you people ever wanna go to bed?‘Cause you feel so goodDo you have to drive me out of my head?
I said, “Hey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudDon’t hang around ’cause two’s a crowdOn my cloud baby”
I was sick and tired, fed up with thisAnd decided to take a drive downtownIt was so very quiet and peacefulThere was nobody, not a soul around
I laid myself outI was so tired and I started to dreamIn the mornin’ the parkin’ tickets were just like a flagStuck on my windscreen
I said, “Hey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudDon’t hang around ’cause two’s a crowdOn my cloud”
Hey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudHey, hey, you, you, get off of my cloudDon’t hang around, baby, two’s a crowdOn my cloud