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Like A Rolling Stone

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for Song Lyric Sunday –
“Power Dynamics and the Human Struggle
for Equality and Justice”

This week at Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday, the theme is “Power Dynamics and the Human Struggle for Equality and Justice”. Our challenge is to write about a song that relates to civil rights, oppression, protest, revolution or social change …. a topic that has existed since the beginning of time and a theme for which there is no lack of appropriate songs. Let’s dig right in.

Courtesy Jim Adams @ Song Lyric Sunday

The Rolling Stones aren’t usually dubbed a political band. Their music has a wide range of appeal and their songs aren’t always focused on relaying a thought-provoking message. However, they did dare to speak their minds a handful of times. “Sweet Black Angel” …. released on their iconic 1972 double LP, Exile On Main St. …. is one of the Stones’ most overtly political tracks. Written in advocacy for Angela Davis …. a professor, political and civil rights activist, and acknowledged member of the communist party …. this track sees the band pick a side during her contentious arrest in the late ’60s. The band spoke in favor of Davis, fighting for her name to be cleared amid a political upheaval in the US. Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics after seeing a poster of Davis; at the time, she faced controversial, politically motivated murder and kidnapping charges related to a courthouse shootout for which she was later acquitted. Because the song was written prior to Davis’ acquittal, the lyrics function as a cry for support rather than a victory lap. Jagger portrays Davis as a human being in immediate peril …. “a gal in danger, a gal in chains” …. as opposed to an abstract political icon. The song features an island-lilt, acoustic folk-blues rhythm with Jagger singing in a Caribbean-influenced dialect, blending global sounds to match the spirit of international solidarity. “Sweet Black Angel” was performed live by the Stones only once, in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 24, 1972. To learn more about Angela Davis, click here.

This is “Sweet Black Angel” by The Rolling Stones


LYRICS

Got a sweet black angel
Got a pin up girl
Got a sweet black angel
Up upon my wall
Well, she ain’t no singer
And she ain’t no star
But she sure talk good
And she move so fast
But de gal in danger
Yeah, de gal in chains
But she keep on pushin’
Would ya take her place?
She countin’ up de minutes
She countin’ up de days
She’s a sweet black angel, woh
Not a sweet black slave
Ten little niggers
Sittin’ on de wall
Her brothers been a fallin’
Fallin’ one by one
For a judge they murdered
And a judge they stole
Now de judge he gonna judge her
For all dat he’s worth
Well de gal in danger
De gal in chains
But she keep on pushin’
Would you do the same?
She countin’ up de minutes
She countin’ up de days
She’s a sweet black angel
Not a gun toting teacher
Not a Red lovin’ school mom
Ain’t someone gonna free her
Free de sweet black slave
Free de sweet black slave

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Michael Phillip Jagger/Keith Richards

Image by Me & Gemini

“Street Fighting Man” is one of the Stones’ songs written in protest of the Vietnam War. As one might assume, this song prompted mixed emotions from listeners, but those who were fed up with the war latched on to it for dear life. Regarding the inescapable effects of the war, Mick Jagger said: “Even though I was living in America only part time, I was influenced. Those images were all over the television.” Jagger wrote the lyrics after attending an anti-Vietnam War rally at Grosvenor Square in London, where peaceful protests turned into violent clashes outside the American Embassy. The track also reflected international unrest of the era, including student protests and riots in Paris and across the United States. Released as a US single in August 1968 to coincide with intense clashes at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, some radio stations banned or refused to play the song out of fear it would incite violence. It was later included on the band’s acclaimed 1968 album, Beggars Banquet.

“Summer’s here and the time is right for fighting in the street”: Mick Jagger wrote this line as a deliberate, aggressive twist on Martha and The Vandellas’ upbeat 1964 hit “Dancing in the Street”. Instead of dancing, the summer of 1968 brought real-world riots, student takeovers in Paris, and anti-war demonstrations in London that Jagger witnessed firsthand. “What can a poor boy do / ‘Cept to sing for a rock-n-roll band?”: This famous refrain is the emotional core of the song. It highlights the narrator’s limitations and Jagger’s own status as a wealthy pop star. Despite the anger in the air, his tool for expression is music, not a physical weapon. When radio stations banned or boycotted the song for being dangerous, Jagger famously noted that it was indeed subversive. However, he also acknowledged the irony, pointing out how powerless a mere vinyl record or pop song is when it comes to truly starting a revolution.

This is “Street Fighting Man” by The Rolling Stones


LYRICS

Everywhere I hear the sound
Of marching, charging feet, boy
‘Cause summer’s here and the time is right
For fighting in the street, boy
Well, now what can a poor boy do
‘Cept to sing for a rock and roll band?
‘Cause in sleepy London Town
There’s just no place for street fighting man, no
Hey, think the time is right
For a palace revolution
‘Cause where I live the game to play
Is compromise solution
Well, now what can a poor boy do
‘Cept to sing for a rock and roll band?
‘Cause in sleepy London Town
There’s just no place for street fighting man, no
Get down
Hey, said my name is called Disturbance
I’ll shout and scream, I’ll kill the king
I’ll rail at all his servants
Well, now what can a poor boy do
‘Cept to sing for a rock and roll band?
‘Cause in sleepy London Town
There’s just no place for street fighting man, no
Get down

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Keith Richards/Mick Jagger
Street Fighting Man lyrics © Abkco Music Inc., BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave

Image by Me & Gemini

Bonus Track: I decided not to go with another Stones song for my bonus track in favor of a song which I believe fits this week’s challenge beautifully. Written by Galt MacDermot, James Rado, and Gerome Ragni for the 1967 rock musical Hair, this is “Easy To Be Hard” by Three Dog Night from their 1969 album, Suitable for Framing.

Power Dynamics and the Human Struggle for Equality and Justice

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week and every week. Be sure to follow his link and check out his site.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to some great music today. I hope you enjoyed the theme for this week as well as the information and music I featured.

That’s all she wrote, kids. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2026

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thank you for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.

52 thoughts on “Like A Rolling Stone”

  3. The first Stone’s song was new to me. I’d kind of remember about Angela Davis, but not really knowing what was going on. Good song about it though. The second one I’d heard and liked before. Of course Three Dog Night very good one, too. 🙂

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  5. As always I learn something from your SLS posts, Nancy. Did not know about the Angela Davis protest song. I did know about the 2nd tune and that it was a protest song. 3DN is one I remember fondly from AM radio. Good choices for the prompt.

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  6. An era defining post and wonderful choices, Nancy, and I love both the Stones, and TDN. I saw TDN a few years back and they were great. Since then, we’ve lost four of them, most recently Chuck Negron this year. Rock on!

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    1. It’s always sad when our favorite groups break up or the members pass on. I especially feel it now that I’m old and I look back on who’s gone and who’s still with us. Too many died young. Thanks for your gracious and thoughtful comments, Eugi. Rock on, my friend! 😊

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    1. Thanks! I’m not surprised about “Sweet Black Angel”. Unless you have “Exile On Main St”, you wouldn’t know it because it was rarely aired on the radio and The Stones only performed it once. I always liked the TDN song. I’m glad to know you enjoyed today’s music, Christian.

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  10. Great choice, Nancy and being a communist or a Marxist in the US has never been a popular stance to take, but Angela Davis was innocent of the crimes that she was charged for.  Globally, 1968 was a turbulent year in politics and three thousand demonstrators surged into Grosvenor Square, protesting against the Vietnam War attempting to break the massive police barricade surrounding the United States Embassy.  The protests started out peaceful beginning with 15,000 marchers in Trafalgar Square and culminated in clashes outside the United States Embassy in Grosvenor Square.  11 people were arrested from the demonstration, and eight policemen were taken to hospital.  It was really nice to hear ‘Easy to Be Hard’ that discusses the contradiction of people who profess deep concern for sweeping global or social issues while remaining cold, cruel, or indifferent to the friends and loved ones right in front of them. I love all the banners you created this week.

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    1. Thanks so much, Jim. This was a time of great impact on our generation …. culturally, emotionally, and musically. I started writing to a young Marine when I was 13 years old; his name was on a list of “war penpals” provided by our school and I chose him because he was Italian and I knew we’d have at least that in common. We had a nice communication for a few years until he was discharged and came back home. I didn’t hear from him after that; I hope he was treated with respect upon his return and had a good life. There’s no doubt our generation also had some of the greatest music and this era, difficult as it was, produced amazing songs. Thanks for a very special theme.

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          1. If AI just did what it was told, it would make the world a better place, but there have been many incidents of it going rouge and doing things that are not in their original code. I like it a lot, but it does need to be controlled better, and there needs to be a kill switch installed in case things get out of hand.

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  14. Oh, you’ve selected 2 great song choices from the “Stones”, and I’ve slight leaning to ‘Sweet Black Angel’ my friend … and down here in Aussieland, for human rights songs, this one is probably my favourite …

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  18. You’re right, Nancy, I wouldn’t have considered looking to the Rolling Stones, and certainly not Three Dog Night, for songs that fit this week’s theme, but your write-up persuaded me that the songs you featured worked well.

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