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Rolling Stones songs: Something Happened to Me Yesterday
THE STONES GET WEIRD AND WITTY Something Happened to Me Yesterday is the Rolling Stones at their most playful and offbeat. Closing out Between the Buttons, it swaps the usual gritty rock for a vaudeville-style romp full of brass, jazz touches, and cheeky humor. With Brian Jones blasting trombone and Mick Jagger hamming it up like a sly ringmaster, the track feels like a surreal little stage show—equal parts satire, chaos, and fun. Definitely not your everyday Stones tune!
He don’t know if it’s right or wrong/ Maybe he should tell someone/ He’s not sure just what it was/ Or if it’s against the law
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: RCA Studios, Hollywood, USA, Aug. 1966; Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, Nov-Dec. 1966 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano) *Data taken from Martin Elliott’s book THE ROLLING STONES COMPLETE RECORDING SESSIONS 1962-2012
More about Something Happened to Me Yesterday by The Rolling Stones
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
A Quirky Trip with The Rolling Stones
Something Happened to Me Yesterday isn’t your usual Stones track—it’s a satirical, vaudeville-flavored oddity that wraps up Between the Buttons with a wink and a smirk. Instead of their trademark blues-rock swagger, the band dives into brass-driven chaos, with Brian Jones front and center on trombone, turning the tune into a quirky mix of jazz, folk, and cheeky theater.
But behind the humor lies a subtle commentary. The mid-’60s had the Stones constantly churning out music for public taste, and you can sense the pressure starting to tug at their creativity. This offbeat number is both playful and reflective, a sly nod to the times and the toll of relentless touring.
Lyrically, it’s not about the psychedelic trip itself, but the strange, unsettling afterglow. The narrator wrestles with whether what he experienced was legal or not, yet can’t shake vivid, surreal images—like someone singing loudly across the bay, lost in prayer.
The Stones’ Playful Step Into Counterculture
Something Happened to Me Yesterday is the Rolling Stones at their quirkiest—a bold leap into the weird and wonderful world of the 1960s counterculture. Instead of their usual raw rock ’n’ roll edge, they serve up a vaudeville-meets-Dixieland experiment, with brass flourishes straight out of a New Orleans street parade. The opening fanfare of trumpet, trombone, and tuba sets the stage, while Mick Jagger slips into the role of a sly ringmaster. His calm yet amused delivery on the verses contrasts perfectly with Keith Richards’ turn on the choruses—the first time he ever stepped up for lead vocals—creating a back-and-forth that heightens the comedy. The vibe is cheeky and offbeat, recalling the satirical touch of the Kinks and even echoing Bob Dylan’s Rainy Day Women #12 & 35. With its blend of humor, social commentary, and theatricality, the song closes Between the Buttons on a surprising and playful note.
Oddities, Roles, and Musical Mischief
The lyrics dive into strange, possibly illicit happenings from “yesterday” with Jagger and Richards trading lines about bizarre encounters—ironically foreshadowing the legal headaches they’d soon face. The track ends on a laugh, with Jagger channeling Dixon of Dock Green to offer the mock-serious advice: “wear white, evening all!” Musically, it’s a jam-packed affair. Keith handles both acoustic and electric guitars, Nicky Hopkins sprinkles in piano runs, and Charlie Watts keeps things light and steady. Brian Jones’ exact contributions remain a mystery—he’s often credited with an armful of instruments (sax, tuba, clarinet, even violin), though overdubbing limits suggest Jack Nitzsche likely arranged the brass chaos. What’s certain is that Brian adds colorful textures, while the whole band seems to relish stepping outside their comfort zone. The result is a curious, theatrical finale that stands apart from anything else in the Stones’ catalog.
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