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

Pathé Marconi Studios (EMI Studios), Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France,
January 5 - March 2, 1978, Don Was’ Private Studio & A&M Recording Studios,
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, January 15 - April 23, 1994 and
Electric Ladyland Studios, New York City, New York, US, September 2011

Mick Jagger - lead vocals
Keith Richards - electric guitar, harmony vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Ron Wood - electric guitar
Ian Stewart - piano
Chuck Leavell - piano

I met her in a movie house, she was playin' the arcades
And posing with a hangdog look, a little bit unmade
She spoke in broken English, I replied in broken French
A come and share my popcorn, it's not a federal offense
She's so young, God help me, she's so young

Well, her skin was white and pudgy, she’s got spots all on her face
And wearing too much make-up, and she wasn't walking straight
She drove her daddy's car, it was just jammed with teenage trash
She always find a popper too, a hidden in her stash
She's so young, God help me, she's so young, yeah
She's so young, she's so young, she's so young, she's so young
She ain't never gonna steal my heart away
I might not get it back, she's so young, yeah

Well, I took her down to Barney's, bought her a brand new set of boots
She tottered in my arms and she was looking terminally cute
I tried to take it easy, put my dick back on a leash
I see big trouble coming, I'm gonna beat a quick retreat
She's so young, yeah, she’s so young
Yeah, she's so young, she's so young, she's so young, she's so young
She ain't never gonna steal my heart away
I might not get it back, she's so young, yeah
So young, she’s so young, so young, so much fun
I ain't never gonna throw my heart away
I might not get it back today, she's so young, hey

Yeah, so young, so young, so young, so young
She ain't never gonna steal my heart away
I might not get it back, she’s so young, so young
So young, so dumb, so young, so young, hey, come on, she’s so young

Produced by The Glimmer Twins, Chris Kimsey & Don Was

First released on: The Rolling Stones - “Some Girls” 2CD
(Universal Music 278 924-3) UK, November 18, 2011
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So Young (piano version)
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

Pathé Marconi Studios (EMI Studios), Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, France,
January 5 - March 2, 1978 and Don Was’ Private Studio & A&M Recording Studios,
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, January 15 - April 23, 1994

Mick Jagger - vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Ian Stewart - piano
Chuck Leavell - piano

I met her in a movie house, she was playin' the arcades
And posing with a hangdog look, a little bit unmade
She spoke in broken English, I replied in broken French
A come and share my popcorn, it's not a federal offense
She's so young, God help me, she's so young

Well, her skin was white and pudgy, she’s got spots all on her face
And wearing too much make-up, and she wasn't walking straight
She drove her daddy's car, it was just jammed with teenage trash
She always find a popper too, a hidden in her stash
She's so young, God help me, she's so young, yeah
She's so young, she's so young, she's so young, she's so young
She ain't never gonna steal my heart away
I might not get it back, she's so young, yeah

Well, I took her down to Barney's, bought her a brand new set of boots
She tottered in my arms and she was looking terminally cute
I tried to take it easy, put my dick back on a leash
I see big trouble coming, I'm gonna beat a quick retreat
She's so young, yeah, she’s so young
Yeah, she's so young, she's so young, she's so young, she's so young
She ain't never gonna steal my heart away
I might not get it back, she's so young, yeah
So young, she’s so young, so young, so much fun
I ain't never gonna throw my heart away
I might not get it back today, she's so young, hey

Yeah, so young, so young, so young, so young
She ain't never gonna steal my heart away
I might not get it back, she’s so young, so young
So young, so dumb, so young, so young, hey, come on, she’s so young

Produced by The Glimmer Twins, Chris Kimsey & Don Was

First released on: The Rolling Stones - “Some Girls” 2CD
(Universal UICY-10027) Japan, December 7, 2011

I like it



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-20 11:25 by Erik_Snow.

Fillllllllllllllerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Rhythmically uninteresting. Boring chorus. Lacks the charm and the country twang of so many tracks on SG Deluxe.

Why re-release this when it was already a B-side in '94? Should have left this one out.

Drew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-02-22 04:52 by drewmaster.

I like it, in all three incarnations. I think (but can't know for certain) that the 1994 version is an all-analog recording with an analog mix, with the 2011 version obviously being mixed digitally and probably also having digital overdubs. I'm not certain if the vocals were redone in 2011 or if it's just a different take from 1994. It's certainly not the same take, though - Mick sings "boken French" instead of "broken French". I'm sorry if pointing that out to you made it forever impossible not to hear it...

If I'm hearing things correctly, Ian Stewart's piano part is inaudible on the 1994 version, hardly audible on the standard 2011 version and well audible on the piano version. Chuck Leavell seems to have played two piano parts, both with his trademark piano synthesizer (which is what makes it so easy to distinguish his playing from Stu's). I think it's one of his better performances - which, admittedly, doesn't mean much when you're talking about Chuck Leavell.

Apologies for being unable to find a link, but I’m looking for the version of “So Young” that was included as a B-side on one of the Voodoo Lounge singles. I believe it is different from the version that was included on the Some Girls Deluxe release. If someone has a YouTube link, I’d appreciate it in advance. Thanks.

Rbarnes00

Here is the link for the “piano version”
[youtu.be]
Let me know if this isn’t the version you are talking about

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rbarnes00
Apologies for being unable to find a link, but I’m looking for the version of “So Young” that was included as a B-side on one of the Voodoo Lounge singles. I believe it is different from the version that was included on the Some Girls Deluxe release. If someone has a YouTube link, I’d appreciate it in advance. Thanks.

Rbarnes00

I know the one you’re talking about, and I can’t seem to find it on YouTube. Mick’s vocal is mixed lower and there’s no high harmony in the chorus. I do know that it’s available on Apple Music’s 1971-2006 Singles Collection, though.

Along with "The Storm", it was released as a B-side on the "Love Is Strong" CD single back in 1994. I have both the CD and an MP3 copied version of it that I'd be happy to e-mail to you if you like.

It fades out but I believe I may also have the cold-ending copy of this version, so along with the SG Deluxe and piano tracks, I think there are actually 4 officially released variations of this song if I'm not mistaken.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2023-01-08 04:03 by sf37.

The piano version was also released on the Some Girls deluxe Japanese version. The Voodoo Lounge version is rockier and a little more edgy than the SG ones. I do prefer the piano version of the 3.

Thanks everyone for the info and offers. I was just looking for a youtube link to add the song to a playlist of rarities that I have going. I may end up (re) purchasing the old CD single off of Amazon or EBay. Thanks again.

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rbarnes00

I’m looking for the version of “So Young” that was included as a B-side on one of the Voodoo Lounge singles

So Young can also be found on The Singles 1971–2006 (Discs 34+36) - Wikipedia , [www.Discogs.com] , [Music.Apple.com] - (iTunes).

This is the 1994 version, not either of the 2011 versions or the 1978 bootlegged outtakes:

[www.youtube.com]

Good find!

Thanks a lot!!

Lyrics is about a grown man man grooming a teenage girl. Okay then (1994), unthinkable today. SMU lyrics is about the same but less obvious. Not to mention Stray Cat Blues...

I remember, in the early 00’s, purchasing the CD single that features the So Young B-side. I thought it was terrific and genuinely didn’t realise it was partly recorded in the late-70’s. I recollect thinking that the Some Girls Deluxe version is a little inferior for some reason. I hadn’t heard either take in years. Thanks for posting the ‘94 version, Rocky Dijon.

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Stoneage
Lyrics is about a grown man man grooming a teenage girl. Okay then (1994), unthinkable today. SMU lyrics is about the same but less obvious. Not to mention Stray Cat Blues...

i'll give you stray cat blues and so young (which was composed about the same time as summer romance as well)

buy what on gods green earth makes you believe start me up is about grooming teenage girls?

is it the "you make a grown man cry" line?

as far as i'm concerned it's as much about that as love is stong, parachute woman, or satisfaction is

To P W: The lyrics for SMU are ambiguous. That is what I meant by "less obvious". It may be about a car, it may be about sexual foreplay. More clever in that way, less explicit.

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Stoneage
Lyrics is about a grown man man grooming a teenage girl. Okay then (1994), unthinkable today. SMU lyrics is about the same but less obvious. Not to mention Stray Cat Blues...

The girl isn’t necessarily a teenager. There’s a reference to “teenage trash” in the car, but that could mean bad pop music.

"Come and share my popcorn, it's not a federal offense"

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ProfessorWolf

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Stoneage
Lyrics is about a grown man man grooming a teenage girl. Okay then (1994), unthinkable today. SMU lyrics is about the same but less obvious. Not to mention Stray Cat Blues...

i'll give you stray cat blues and so young (which was composed about the same time as summer romance as well)

buy what on gods green earth makes you believe start me up is about grooming teenage girls?

is it the "you make a grown man cry" line?

as far as i'm concerned it's as much about that as love is stong, parachute woman, or satisfaction is

"Stray Cat Blues" is something else, but it looks like that during the late 70's Mick started noticing that he is getting old, and the girls/women in his actual or ideal life started to be seemingly younger... "So Young", "Summer Romance", "Start Me Up", "No Spare Parts" all seem to talk about that theme. One can call that 'grooming', but I think that is more like self-reflection, and there is a good deal of self-irony there as well - admitting that oh shit, I am an old man now... "I hope you don't think I feel like a father to you", "You make a dead man cum", etc...

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-01-08 21:10 by Doxa.

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Stoneage
To P W: The lyrics for SMU are ambiguous. That is what I meant by "less obvious". It may be about a car, it may be about sexual foreplay. More clever in that way, less explicit.

sorry i'm still not seeing a reasonable connection here

yes it's ambiguous it could be about mick and a woman, man, boy, girl, horse, or that special certain motorcycle that he's had his eye on

but clearly the intended interpretation from mick for the listener is to picture him with a woman (and knowing mick's preferences probably a tall thin one in her early to mid 20's)

using this logic you could literally infer that any song about sex mick has ever written where he doesn't explicitly list the ages of all parties involved is something more sinister then it seems

i know mick is no saint in regards to this subject but not every song he write is about him lusting after teenage girls

i mean you could make a much better case for spider and the fly being about a 30 year old woman grooming a teenage boy for sex then you could start me up is anything more then it seems

and that's still a stretch

look i'm not denying the sad shameful history of rockstars taking sexual advantage of teenage girls and glorifying it in there music

and if you want to explain your interpretation of this song i'm listening

but as of right now i ain't seeing it

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MelBelli

Quote
Stoneage
Lyrics is about a grown man man grooming a teenage girl. Okay then (1994), unthinkable today. SMU lyrics is about the same but less obvious. Not to mention Stray Cat Blues...

The girl isn’t necessarily a teenager. There’s a reference to “teenage trash” in the car, but that could mean bad pop music.

yes!

especially since the final version of the lyrics were composed when mick was in his early 50's and still regularly having affairs with woman in there 20's

totally valid interpretation

Quote
Doxa

Quote
ProfessorWolf

Quote
Stoneage
Lyrics is about a grown man man grooming a teenage girl. Okay then (1994), unthinkable today. SMU lyrics is about the same but less obvious. Not to mention Stray Cat Blues...

i'll give you stray cat blues and so young (which was composed about the same time as summer romance as well)

buy what on gods green earth makes you believe start me up is about grooming teenage girls?

is it the "you make a grown man cry" line?

as far as i'm concerned it's as much about that as love is stong, parachute woman, or satisfaction is

"Stray Cat Blues" is something else, but it looks like that during the late 70's Mick started noticing that he is getting old, and the girls/women in his actual or ideal life started to be seemingly younger... "So Young", "Summer Romance", "Start Me Up", "No Spare Parts" all seem to talk about that theme. One can call that 'grooming', but I think that is more like self-reflection, and there is a good deal of self-irony there as well - admitting that oh shit, I am an old man now... "I hope you don't think I feel like a father to you", "You make a dead man cum", etc...

- Doxa

yeah that seems like a very reasonable conclusion to explain the prevalence of songs featuring this themes in the late 70's

sorta similar to the large amount of songs with a notably negative view of women that seemed to stem from issues in his personal life in the mid to late 60's

but i'm still not seeing the smu connection though



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-01-08 21:48 by ProfessorWolf.

.grooming ... more like she's out
on the town looking for a yummy daddy ....



ROCKMAN

Summer Romance and So Young are cut from the same cloth. The topic has been a rock 'n' roll standard since the birth of the format. Written and first recorded at a time when Bill was first involved with Suzanne, it was even more in their minds. Both songs' lyrics are definitely tongue-in-cheek. Is it scandalous? Yes, and so was taking heroin. The difference is there's no current vogue of being a good little citizen by crying boo-hoo, the bad men took drugs, too. They also smoke and drank and swore and kicked babies when no one was looking.

As for Start Me Up, underage sex is hardly part of the lyrics. The song, if taken literally, is about an aging race car driver aware time isn't on his side but who brags he's still better than men half his age. Is there a sexual connotation? Of course, but the young race car drivers are analogues for young rock stars of the late 1970s or early 1980s that Jagger is bragging he's still better than. Not the same thing as Summer Romance or So Young at all.

Prefer the SG Deluxe version. It has a little bit more humor to it.

The song, if taken literally, is about an aging race car driver


Well always thought the intro sounded
like Keef's idea of a Chevy donk cranking
over just before ignition .....



ROCKMAN