Comments, input and alterations are very welcome!
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Dandelion
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Olympic Sound Studios, London, UK, June 12 - 13 & July 7 - 22, 1967

Mick Jagger - lead vocals, backing vocals, maracas
Keith Richards - acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Brian Jones - saxophone
Nicky Hopkins - organ, harpsichord
John Lennon - backing vocals
Paul McCartney - backing vocals

Prince or pauper, beggar man or King
Play the game with every blow you bring
Dandelion don't tell no lies, Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries, blow away Dandelion

One o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, four o'clock chimes
Dandelions don't care about the time
Dandelion don't tell no lies, Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries, blow away Dandelion, blow away Dandelion

Tho' you're older now it's just the same
You can play this Dandelion game
When you're finished with your childlike prayers
Well, you know you should wear it

Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailors lives
Rich man, poor man, beautiful daughters, wives
Dandelion don't tell no lies, Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries, blow away Dandelion, blow away Dandelion

Little girls and boys come out to play, yes
Bring your Dandelions to blow away
Dandelion don’t tell no lies, Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries, blow away Dandelion, blow away Dandelion
Blow away, Dandelion
Blow away, Dandelion
Blow away, Dandelion
Dandelion

Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham & The Rolling Stones

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “We Love You / Dandelion” 7” single
(Decca F 12654) UK, August 18, 1967



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2012-10-09 14:40 by René.

This came along with Satanic during the Stones lost touring years and by the 1969 return they had Let it Bleed and a few past hits to rely on so it was forgotten.

along with She's a Rainbow: the exhilaration of love + good acid

Keith's demo (Sometimes Happy Sometimes Blue) is wonderfully charming as well

That's a Mellotron, not a saxophone.
And I don't think that's Brian on harpsichord.
Sounds like Hopkins to my ears.

I think that the first two lines are:

"Prince or pauper, beggar man or thief
Play the game with ev'ry blow you breathe"

And I always thought it was "beautiful doctor's wives"

I always loved the We Love YOU/Dandelion singel!
Oh how I wished they had brought these two tracks on Satanic, that whould have made the album on a much more higher level !

Great track. Good back up vocals from Lennon/McCartney as well

Quote
tomk
That's a Mellotron, not a saxophone.
And I don't think that's Brian on harpsichord.
Sounds like Hopkins to my ears.

Nah, it's definitely a real soprano sax, most likely played by Brian.

I agree that it's most likely Nicky on harpsichord though. There's an organ in there too huh?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009-10-12 12:51 by His Majesty.

There is supposed to be an early outtake of this song under the title "Fairground".
I've never heard it though. (And must admit I've never sought it. This is not really the
kind of music that made me a fan).

I still have the peculiar idea that Dandelion would make a great opener for a Rolling Stones concert!

Great tune, one of my faves from the 1960s. There's a bizarre heaviness to it, during the lines of "Dandelion don't tell no lies" etc...

Quote
Christian
I think that the first two lines are:

"Prince or pauper, beggar man or thief
Play the game with ev'ry blow you breathe"

And I always thought it was "beautiful doctor's wives"

I agree with the first couplet, but I think "daughters" in the second is accurate.

I always heard cocaine references: "blow away dandy lines" and "dandy lines don't care about the time" (they sure don't!) but I've been told this a figment of my imagination/1980s college experience/or both.

Great tune! Part of my homemade SMR that also adds WLY and CTM and ditches that long jammy rubbish.

classically acidy

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T&A
classically acidy

Indescribably delicious

Quote
with sssoul
along with She's a Rainbow: the exhilaration of love + good acid

Keith's demo (Sometimes Happy Sometimes Blue) is wonderfully charming as well

... and here it is

Always thought it was 'child like friends'.

Am I mistaken, or doesnt Dandelion also feature Lennon & McCartney contributing some backing vocals ? Thought I read that somewhere a long time ago

>> doesnt Dandelion also feature Lennon & McCartney contributing some backing vocals ? <<

yep. and [www.timeisonourside.com] has Stu on organ, not Bill:

Drums: Charlie Watts
Bass: Bill Wyman
Acoustic guitar: Keith Richards
Lead vocal: Mick Jagger
Background vocals: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, John Lennon & Paul McCartney
Harpsichord: Brian Jones or Nicky Hopkins
Organ: Ian Stewart
Maracas: Brian Jones
Saxophone: Brian Jones

One cannot imagine Stu being involved in such a track.

Great psychedelic pop song! Not very Stonesy, perhaps, but so what?

Both Aeppli and Zentgraf states Brian on harpsichord as well as sax, but I suppose it could also be Hopkins...

Apparantly, there are also earlier versions called English Summer (yes, that once rumoured unreleased single...) that has Brian on xylophone and flute or recorder.
See also Aeppli: November 9-26, 1966. [aeppli.ch]

One of their best ever singles!

I've always loved it.

Would be great if they actually played it. As in, on tour, a tour, LIVE. But, as we all know, Keith would probably forget how it goes (ala She's A Rainbow) so let's just stick to the record.

Dandelialicious

Keith's Sometimes blue shows how he was already more into the chugging riffs before they were really incorporated into the overall sound.

A great song!

the strings on this don't sound like mellotron strings
i also doubt brian played the main harpsichord line

Quote
Ruby Friday
I always loved the We Love YOU/Dandelion singel!
Oh how I wished they had brought these two tracks on Satanic, that whould have made the album on a much more higher level !

Check out the Mickboy version of "Satanic" (dont jump on me-I know alot of people dont like his stuff!) But he re-constructs the album including these two. also theres a bonus track of "We Love You" with John & Pauls backing vocals isolated that sounds really cool!

No RMK after it so it must not be that good.