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My Obsession
(Mick Jagger / Keith Richards)

RCA Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, August 3 - 11, 1966 and
Pye Studios & Olympic Sound Studios, London, UK, November 8 - 26, 1966

Mick Jagger - lead vocals, backing vocals
Keith Richards - electric guitar, harmony vocals, backing vocals
Charlie Watts - drums
Bill Wyman - bass
Brian Jones - organ
Ian Stewart - piano

My obsessions are your possessions, every piece that I can get
My obsessions are your possessions, my mouth is soaking wet
I think I blew it now, confession

Can't dodge it, it's simple logic, you’d be better off with me
And you'll know it when you lost it, lonely

My obsessions are your possessions, are you smiling on my way
My obsessions are your possessions, one that you should give away
Give it to me now, I've no objection

I don't mind if it's unkind and it's not my property
But I want it just to be mine, exclusively

Oh baby, oh baby, oh baby, oh baby, oh baby, oh baby

You need teaching, you're a girl, there are things in this world
That need teaching with discretion, my profession

My obsessions are your possessions, are you used to the idea
My obsessions are your possessions, do you feel at home right here
You should relax, it's my impression

Didn't see you were so young, I could almost be your son
Please turn in my direction, no objection

Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham

First released on:
The Rolling Stones - “Between The Buttons” LP
(Decca SKL 4852) UK, January 20, 1967

A real new sound for the Stones. Quirky, very English and upbeat. You can definitely hear the sound of young, mod London here with all its cocky upstart arrogance.

A new wind has been blowing through the streets of the Stones' hometown, which fashion and music wise has become the centre of the rock'n'roll universe, and the song really captures this pop art insouciance.

I love the stop start rhythm and the metallic sheen of Keith's guitar. And then there's that really weird, almost distorted crescendo at the end of each verse which suggests that psychedelia is just a kiss away.

Not sure if it's aimed at Chrissie Shrimpton, Marianne or some young starlet that he was hoping to seduce but lyrically it's a continuation of Jagger's misogny from Aftermath, especially with lines like:

"You need teaching you're a girl
There are things in this world
That need teaching with discretion, my profession"



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-11 21:17 by Silver Dagger.

My reaction when listening to this now is the same as when I first heard it years ago: WTF??!!

This is the only Stones track where I actually dislike Charlie's drumming.

Drew

Start, stop - start, stop...

I'll give this song 3 out of 5.

in my mind just an "ok" track on BTB, none of its highlights, and none of it lowpoints....

Great early experimental psychedelic track from The Stones...4/5....

2 1 2 0

I alway loved this track...In fact BTB is in my top 10 fav albums.

Really liked how the Stones got away from the basic
blues and play something new.

A new grove and a lot of fun to play. A GREAT album that
showed why the Rolling Stones were the best rock band in the
land...

They could do anything..

Nice song, nice bass, nice everything

Quote
hot stuff
I alway loved this track...In fact BTB is in my top 10 fav albums.

Really liked how the Stones got away from the basic
blues and play something new.

A new grove and a lot of fun to play. A GREAT album that
showed why the Rolling Stones were the best rock band in the
land...

They could do anything..

Spot on!

zero points for this one

It was fun to see how many "tion" or "sion" words they could find. I'll bet Mick and Keith slaved for minutes over it....

Quote
GRNRBITW
It was fun to see how many "tion" or "sion" words they could find. I'll bet Mick and Keith slaved for minutes over it....

Beach erosion from waves in motion the sand has gone away...

damn, this is easy

Quote
Munichhilton

Quote
GRNRBITW
It was fun to see how many "tion" or "sion" words they could find. I'll bet Mick and Keith slaved for minutes over it....

Beach erosion from waves in motion the sand has gone away...

damn, this is easy

you could even become obsessed with it...

I like the rolling, funky groove underneath it. Oh hell, let's hear it as an instrumental and dig Ian.

[www.youtube.com]

Quote
24FPS
I like the rolling, funky groove underneath it. Oh hell, let's hear it as an instrumental and dig Ian.

Yes - I don't like the vocal and I think it works better this way.

By the way - who would have guessed it was Brian Wilson's Obsession?

A fun pop tune and Mick's Vocal gives it that Stones Attitude.

Possibly, Ian Stewart's greatest work. His playing is downright scary in the outtake version. No wonder Brian Wilson ran out of the studio.

Quote
Jelly Face Joe
Possibly, Ian Stewart's greatest work. His playing is downright scary in the outtake version. No wonder Brian Wilson ran out of the studio.

It is the same take as the released version.

Funky ... but how come Mick couldn't slip an erection or two inta the plot ...



ROCKMAN

Quote
Rockman
Funky ... but how come Mick couldn't slip an erection or two inta the plot ...

My erection to your objection it hurts my self esteem...

Damn this is easy

play it loud in the car u will love it,one my favourite

Because it is the second track on the album, it complements the opener Yesterday's Papers by combining to set the fuzz-toned psychedelic pop mood of the album and perfectly sets up the change in tempo for the third track, Backstreet Girl. The lyric "My obsession is your possession" has always stuck with me, but despite this, I think the track would have been less memorable if sequenced further in to the album, if placed in the eighth or ninth slot instead of as track number 2.

Quote
ryanpow
A fun pop tune and Mick's Vocal gives it that Stones Attitude.

I think that sums it up perfectly!

Why should you use the plural here?
It's "my obsession is your possession"
Since "possession" is for "body", she only has one body.

By the way, what do you think of this line
"Didn't see you were so young, I could almost be your son"?
"old" instead of "young" would be more appropriate

Quote
GRNRBITW
It was fun to see how many "tion" or "sion" words they could find. I'll bet Mick and Keith slaved for minutes over it....

- and when they'd finished My Obsession they used all the leftovers for Connection...

Everything is going in the wrong direction
The doctor wants to give me more injections
Giving me shots for a thousand rare infections
And I don't know if he'll let me go

Connection, I just can't make it, connection
All I want to do is to get back to you

My bags they get a very close inspection
I wonder why it is that they suspect them
They're dying to add me to their collection
And I don't know if they'll let me go

...or was it the other way around?

Quote
Silver Dagger
A real new sound for the Stones. Quirky, very English and upbeat. You can definitely hear the sound of young, mod London here with all its cocky upstart arrogance.

A new wind has been blowing through the streets of the Stones' hometown, which fashion and music wise has become the centre of the rock'n'roll universe, and the song really captures this pop art insouciance.

I love the stop start rhythm and the metallic sheen of Keith's guitar. And then there's that really weird, almost distorted crescendo at the end of each verse which suggests that psychedelia is just a kiss away.

Not sure if it's aimed at Chrissie Shrimpton, Marianne or some young starlet that he was hoping to seduce but lyrically it's a continuation of Jagger's misogny from Aftermath, especially with lines like:

"You need teaching you're a girl
There are things in this world
That need teaching with discretion, my profession"

Once again a wonderful, eye-opening description by Silver Dagger, and putting the song insightfully to context, and I can't but agree with it.

But to me "My Connection" is an intersting case in the sense that despite The Stones being in the very height of their creavity and experentialism, looking for new sounds and, new musical soundcapes, this urge does not always come up with convincing results. In a way the song is a "good" representative of BETWEEN THE BUTTONS over-all, that is lacks certain direction and focus. They are apt to something, really sensing the hectic times they are living within, and want to reflect that, but are not quite content in translating that into convincing, original music yet.

To me it also sounds like they are a bit lost in having all the new possibilites - more tracks etc. - to use in studio, and they can't yet handle all that. Too many new 'tricks' ready to use. Andrew Loog Oldham's talents also start sounding limited, and I suppose one could blame rather a lot a producer for its lacks in focus.

I have always thought that playing with those "sion"/"tion" ending words in rhiming is some kind of sign of "dylanism", typical to times (I recall once someone talking about how that was almost a fashion at the time to sound lyricwise "cool", which came a bit corny. Didn't Paul Simon even made a parody song of that style?)

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-13 11:58 by Doxa.

It's been a while since last time Doxa! Welcome back!

2 1 2 0

Quote
stonehearted
Because it is the second track on the album, it complements the opener Yesterday's Papers by combining to set the fuzz-toned psychedelic pop mood of the album and perfectly sets up the change in tempo for the third track, Backstreet Girl. The lyric "My obsession is your possession" has always stuck with me, but despite this, I think the track would have been less memorable if sequenced further in to the album, if placed in the eighth or ninth slot instead of as track number 2.

Another inspiring post. I also like to think albums as some sort of artistic statements which have an own, unique feel. The beginning of the album has a huge impact in it. If the first number is usually a strong-caliber song, many times the most striking song of the album, it is the second song which usually reflects the over-all feel of the album better. It usually is not any high-class song but an "album-cut",a typical representative of the true color of the album. Think of, say, "Stupid Girl", "My Obsession", "No Expectation", "Sway", "Rip This Joint" or "100 Years Ago", or even "When The Whip Comes Down". For that reason when I think of BETWEEN THE BUTTONS, "My Obsession" comes almost immediately to my mind. (And I need to admit, that is not always a good thing). Had the song been, say, the second last in B-side, it wouldn't have that much effect.

In a way BETWEEEN THE BUTTONS follows the musical story of AFTERMATH (thinking of UK versions here). Both start with a catchy novel sounding song "Mother's Little helper"/"Yesterday's Papers", both having a commercial appeal. But both "Stupid Girl" and "My Obsession" are second-class songs - almost fillers - but pretty much in place in guiding the listener to 'deeper' horizons in the album. Then being followed by strikingly meolodic and beautiful "Lady Jane"/"Back Street Girl", after going back to more rocking lanscapes ("Under My Thumb"/"Connection"). Whatever happens after then, do not much change the over-all picture or feeling of the albums. I would even say that the best shots are used by then.

It is I think judging the 'stories' against each other, one could have one reason why AFTERMATH is a bit stronger album that BETWEEN THE BUTTONS is. The shots simply are one caliber better - and more fresh and novel - in each case. Well, that's my opinion, at least.

- Doxa



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-13 12:50 by Doxa.

Between the buttons is in the 60s what GHS is for the 70s.......... a very enjoyable but underrated albums