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A snapshot of sixties ennui

What to Do, the understated closer from the UK edition of Aftermath, paints a portrait of mid-sixties boredom with surprising nuance. The narrator drifts through the exhaustion of TV static, all-night wandering, and mornings that arrive too early. While his peers rush for trains and responsibility, he retreats into a kind of soft rebellion—years before punk shouted “no future.” Though the mood hints at the alienation later championed by the Blank Generation, the Stones express it with a shrug instead of a scream. The song’s tone and themes make it a quietly revealing entry in their early catalog.

Want the full version with recording details, song background, history, trivia, and more?  Read the full story behind this overlooked Aftermath cut.
The Rolling Stones: ‘What To Do’, That Song from 1966

How its sound took shape

Musically, the track leans into beat-group pop rather than anything resembling punk. Acoustic and electric guitars give it a breezy foundation, with a drum break from Charlie Watts echoing fifties doo-wop. Mick Jagger’s casual delivery pairs with Beach Boys-style harmonies overdubbed by him and Keith Richards, while the verses briefly shift into a more soulful phrasing influenced by Otis Redding. The arrangement stays simple, with Richards likely handling both guitar parts and Ian Stewart contributing piano touches.

A track that slipped through the cracks

What to Do appeared only on the British Aftermath in 1966 and didn’t reach U.S. listeners until More Hot Rocks in 1972. Often dismissed as filler, it still mirrors the Stones’ life on the road: hotel-room downtime, restless nights, and the dull edges of constant touring. That repetition—lyrical and musical—reveals more than it hides.

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