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Well I want somebody to tell me/ Tell me what’s wrong with me…
Written by: Buster Brown/Clarence L. Lewis/Bobby Robinson Recorded: Saturday Club, BBC Light (UK radio), Aug. 20 1965
From Martin Elliott’s book The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962-2012: Bill Wyman attempted to get this recording released in 1975 under the Black Box title. Fannie Mae touched on old ground, a straight Buster Brown R’n’B rocker featuring harmonica in a Sonny Terry mould. This Stones interpretation was a notable copy and had not been used greatly in the set list. It was Mick Jagger and Bill’s choice. to include it in the radio setIt was a chance to try something out different, even if Mick had to repeat a verse or two since he could not remember the lyrics. This was the last of the BBC sessions.
Mick Jagger: vocals Keith Richards: guitar Brian Jones: harmonica Bill Wyman: bass CharlieWatts: drums
Some of the most revealing moments in The Rolling Stones story aren’t the big hits—they’re the hidden recordings that show how the band really worked. Fannie Mae, taped during their final BBC session, is one of those rare glimpses where instinct took the lead over polish.
Chosen by Mick Jagger and Bill Wyman, the track wasn’t about chasing charts or pleasing crowds. It was about revisiting their rhythm and blues roots and trying something different in a live radio setting, even if that meant leaving a few rough edges intact.
That’s exactly what makes it compelling today. With its almost-forgotten status and near-release years later, Fannie Mae captures a band still exploring, still curious—and still shaping their identity in real time.
More about The Rolling Stones’ take on Fannie Mae
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
A fleeting BBC moment worth remembering
“Well I want somebody to tell me / Tell me what’s wrong with me…”—a line that perfectly captures the loose, searching energy of The Rolling Stones during their BBC days. Recorded for Saturday Club, BBC Light show (UK radio) on August 20 1965, Fannie Mae stands as a curious snapshot rather than a polished statement. Drawn from the songwriting of Buster Brown, Clarence L. Lewis, and Bobby Robinson, the track leans into its R’n’B roots without overthinking them. There’s a sense of spontaneity running through the performance—part rehearsal, part broadcast, fully alive. Even the imperfections, like repeated verses, feel less like mistakes and more like proof of the band’s instinct-first approach at the time, capturing a raw, unfiltered moment before it disappeared into the archives.
Origins in rhythm and blues tradition
Fannie Mae wasn’t new material—it was rooted in classic R’n’B, echoing the style associated with Sonny Terry. The arrangement followed a familiar structure, driven by harmonica and a steady groove that reflected the band’s deep admiration for American blues and rhythm and blues. Rather than reinventing the song, the Stones leaned into its original spirit, delivering a version that felt faithful yet distinctly theirs in tone and attitude.
A choice shaped by instinct
According to Martin Elliott’s book The Rolling Stones Complete Recording Sessions 1962–2012, the decision to include Fannie Mae in theBBC session came down to Mick Jagger and Bill Wyman. It wasn’t about showcasing a hit or a crowd favorite—it was about trying something different within the radio format. The selection reflects how the Stones often operated in those years: guided less by strategy and more by curiosity, willing to revisit older material just to see how it would land in a new setting.
A quiet ending and a near return
A decade later, the recording nearly found a second life when Bill Wyman attempted to have it released in 1975 under the Black Box title, suggesting he saw value in preserving this overlooked performance. Still, it remained largely unheard in official releases, reinforcing its status as a hidden fragment of the band’s recording history. At the same time, the session itself marked the end of the Stones’ BBC recordings, giving Fannie Mae an added layer of significance—not as a grand finale, but as a quieter closing note that captured the band’s loose, experimental spirit.
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