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Rolling Stones songs: So Young
She drove her daddy’s car, she got a genuine teenage drag/ She always find a popper, to be hidden in her stash…
At the flickering light of the old cinema, he first notices her: awkward steps, scattered attention, the innocent imperfections of youth—small zits marking her face, a gait that can barely stay straight. Nothing about her suggests allure at first glance, and he finds himself silently praying to the Lord for guidance, a desperate plea to resist temptation. Yet the atmosphere shifts in an instant, almost magically, when he slides a pair of boots across to her hands. Something about the gesture, the way she laughs and pulls them on, ignites a thrill he hadn’t anticipated, and he suddenly must wrestle with excitement while mentally preparing a swift retreat.
It’s a fleeting, electric moment, a snapshot of tension and desire captured during the Some Girls sessions at Pathé Marconi Studios, Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris, in early 1978—a time and place where the ordinary could suddenly feel extraordinary, and a simple gift could become the spark of an unforgettable encounter. The memory lingers, a mixture of nostalgia and quiet self-reproach, as he navigates the space between fascination and restraint.
Versions Through Time
So Young exists in several forms, each adding a layer to its story. The B-side version on the Love Is Strong single (1994) and the 2011 box set The Singles 1971—2006 stems from 1978, produced by Chris Kimsey and later enriched with Chuck Leavell’s piano touches in 1994. Fans can also find a 2011 version on the Some Girls (deluxe release) bonus disc, where Mick Jagger contributed additional vocals, as well as a piano-only interpretation released digitally in the UK and the US the same year. Each iteration highlights the song’s enduring charm, reshaping the fleeting cinematic encounter into an evolving musical memory.
SO WHY WE LOVE ‘SO YOUNG’ ANYWAY?
Alright, picture this: he’s in a cinema, right? And there she is—totally awkward, walking like she’s on a trampoline, zits on her face… And yet… somehow, the second he buys her a pair of boots, everything flips. He’s suddenly buzzing, heart racing, trying to play it cool while mentally plotting a fast exit. Classic fleeting-magic moment, captured way back in 1978 during the Some Girls sessions at Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris. A tiny gift, a laugh, and boom—instant nostalgia, instant tension, instant “what the hell just happened?”
Versions? Oh, there’s a few of them. The one on the Love Is Strongsingle got a 1994 piano upgrade by Chuck Leavell. Then there’s a 2011 bonus disc version with extra Jagger vocals. Piano-only version? Yep, digital drop in the UK and US the same year. Honestly, every take is a little reminder that awkward, fleeting, slightly ridiculous moments can totally turn into something magical. So seriously… how come you don’t like this?
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