2000 Light Years from Home
"2000 Light Years from Home" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.[4] Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it also appeared as the B-side to the American single "She's a Rainbow", and charted as a single in Germany.
| "2000 Light Years from Home" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 German single picture sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Rolling Stones | ||||
| from the album Their Satanic Majesties Request | ||||
| A-side | "She's a Rainbow" | |||
| Released |
| |||
| Recorded | July & September 1967 | |||
| Studio | Olympic, London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | Jagger–Richards | |||
| Producer(s) | The Rolling Stones | |||
| The Rolling Stones US singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Their Satanic Majesties Request track listing | ||||
10 tracks Side one
Side two
| ||||
Jagger reportedly wrote the lyrics in Brixton prison following his conviction on drug charges in June 1967.[5] The song was recorded by the band at Olympic Studios during July and September 1967.[1] The working title of the instrumental backing was "Toffee Apple". Brian Jones performs prominent accompaniment on Mellotron.
The number was regularly featured during the Stones' 1989–90 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tours
Until 1997, when "She's a Rainbow" was also added to the band's stage repertoire, it was the only track from Satanic Majesties that the band had performed in concert. For the first time in 23 years, The Rolling Stones played "2000 Light Years from Home" on 29 June 2013 at The Glastonbury Festival.
Live version
In 1991, a live version was released as the B-side to "Highwire."
Personnel
According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon,[6] except where noted:
- Mick Jagger – vocals, maracas
- Keith Richards – backing vocals, lead guitar, fuzz bass[7]
- Brian Jones – Mellotron, electric dulcimer
- Bill Wyman – bass, oscillator[7]
- Charlie Watts – drums
Additional personnel
- Nicky Hopkins – piano
- Unidentified musicians – female backing vocals,[note 1] plucked piano strings,[7] claves[note 2]
Charts
| Chart (1968) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| West Germany (Official German Charts)[10] | 5 |
Notes
- Margotin and Guesdon write that Jagger and Richards' vocals during the refrains at 2:36 and 3:49 are accompanied by two unidentified female voices, possibly contributed by singers Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg.[8]
- Margotin and Guesdon suggest the claves were played by Eddie Kramer, the session's assistant sound engineer.[9]
References
- Eder, Bruce (1989). Singles Collection: The London Years (Boxed set booklet). The Rolling Stones. New York City: ABKCO Records. p. 72. 1218-2.
- DeRogatis, Jim (2003). "The Stones' Ten Best Psychedelic Rock Songs". Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 54. ISBN 0-634-05548-8.
- Luhrssen, David, and Michael Larson (2017). Encyclopedia of Classic Rock. ABC-CLIO. p. 305.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "Show 46 - Sergeant Pepper at the Summit: The very best of a very good year. [Part 2] : UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- Davis, S. (2002). Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40 Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones. Aurum Press. p. 217.
- Margotin & Guesdon 2016, pp. 234–235.
- Babiuk & Prevost 2013, p. 267.
- Margotin & Guesdon 2016, p. 235.
- Margotin & Guesdon 2016, p. 234.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – The Rolling Stones – 2000 Light Years from Home" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 June 2016. To see peak chart position, click "TITEL VON The Rolling Stones"
Sources
- Babiuk, Andy; Prevost, Greg (2013). Rolling Stones Gear: All the Stones' Instruments from Stage to Studio. Milwaukee: Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-61713-092-2.
- Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2016). The Rolling Stones All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. ISBN 978-0-316-31774-0.
