# Explain this Rolling Stones lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653 "2001-01-25T02:09:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/1 "2001-01-25T02:09:50Z")
From Honky Tonk Woman–“She blew my nose, and then she blew my mind.” What? I get the blowing his mind part, but not the nose. Is it some kind of drug or sexual references I don’t get? Even if it is, I prefer that part in The World According to Garp–“My reservations became as blown as the rest of me,” or something like that. So–“She blew my nose”? What’s that mean? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@The\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Thief)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/2 "2001-01-25T02:14:17Z")
I think I know this one. Back in my cocaine snorting days, we used to blow cocaine up each others noses with a straw. But make sure its the left nostril and not the right nostril. I think I just became a real member now. ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/3 "2001-01-25T02:18:11Z")
I always associated the lyric either with cocaine or with the fact that it just sounds funny. Knowing the Stones, though, I’d bet on cocaine. “Then she blew my mind,” however, is a not-so-subtle reference to the horizontal hokey-pokey. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/4 "2001-01-25T04:14:45Z")
Hmmmm, how can I put this? There is no personal profit in interpreting Rolling Stones lyrics. Often, the first waste of time is figuring out what Mick is saying in the first place. Then there is the “Is that REALLY what he said? But it doesn’t make any sense!” step. This is, hopefully, followed by the dawning realization that Mick and Keith were strung out and not making any sense about ANYTHING when they wrote it. “You’ve got to roll me and call me the tumbling dice.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@The\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Thief)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/5 "2001-01-25T04:20:16Z")
What does Rod Stewart mean when he sings “…running on the end of a helicopter blade” That’s a lyric I’ll never figure out. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/6 "2001-01-25T12:31:15Z")
In my drug-sodden daze, if someone ‘blew my nose’, that meant they shared their stash, i.e. they paid for the blow. It figures. My 2000th post is about a drug reference. ---
**Author:** ![Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrison_s_Lament)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/7 "2001-01-25T12:52:14Z")
It’s probably just a weird play on words. Everybody was using the phrase “blows my mind” at the time and of course we all know the traditional meaning of blowing ones nose. It sounds like a heroin-induced Keith Richards joke to me. Then again, I think Mick probably wrote the lyrics on that one. In other words: I dunno. — G. Raven ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/8 "2001-01-25T17:16:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dropzone \* > \*\* > “You’ve got to roll me and call me the tumbling dice.” \*\* Actually, I think it get this one. It makes sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/9 "2001-01-25T20:31:34Z")
I always took it to mean “she was a barroom queen in Memphis” (older lady) and he was just a snot-nosed kid. “she blew my nose” just means he was a lot younger than her, “and then she blew my mind” means she may be old but she still gave real good sex… Just my WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/10 "2001-01-25T20:43:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Thief \* > **But make sure its the left nostril and not the right nostril.** Pardon my ignorance, but why? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/11 "2001-01-25T21:08:46Z")
Now somebody explain “Come Together” to me? I’ve seriously always wondered. ---
**Author:** ![dustMagnate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/fbc32d/32.png) [@dustMagnate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dustMagnate)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/12 "2001-01-25T21:26:06Z")
It’s about sex. Simultaneous orgasm is often strived for seldom achieved without much practice and other stuff I must not have a handle on (tantra?). Cross reference “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” to get a feeling for how much John loved Yoko. That’s my take, but I’ve listened to it backwards by manually left-rotating a turntable. ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/13 "2001-01-25T21:54:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zoggie \* > \*\*Now somebody explain “Come Together” to me? I’ve seriously always wondered. \*\* I can’t recall where I heard, but remember hearing that these lyrics were acid-inspired nonsense. Hell, I’ve seen a clip of John lennon playing that song live and even HE couldn’t remember the words right. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/14 "2001-01-25T23:17:15Z")
Hmmm. The lyric “she blew my nose” calls to mind the euphimism “I have to powder my nose”. I think it’s a veiled reference to oral sex. But then, I’m a rabid Deep Purple fan, so I’ve spent a lot of time listening to lyrics written by Ian Gillan, who is the Master of the Veiled Oral Sex Reference. (so we put her on the hit list/of a common cunning linguist…) ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/15 "2001-01-25T23:43:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dustMagnate \* > **Cross reference “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” to get a feeling for how much John loved Yoko.** Yeah, John loved Yoko so much he got Paul to write and sing a song for him. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2001, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/16 "2001-01-25T23:45:53Z")
Well it was worth a shot. I love when Cecil analyzes lyrics. Like when he did American Pie, and assorted others. Including “Blinded By the Light” (i still can’t figure out what the lyrics are!) Powdering one’s nose does bring up the image of going to get a cocaine fix. Like that pulp fiction scene…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/17 "2001-01-26T00:53:36Z")
Cocaine and oral sex. What’s the red door he wants painted black? ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/18 "2001-01-26T02:06:18Z")
“Come Together” is supposedly about Timothy Leary. Paint It Black: I always interpreted the “red door” that the singer wants to be painted black as his desire to push everything away, to make everything dull and lifeless like he feels. Think about it. I think it’s a classic song about depression. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/19 "2001-01-26T02:14:11Z")
I think the red door is an open grave of a lover. “I see a line of cars and they’re all painted black” “If I stare long enough into the setting sun my love will come and laugh with me before…” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2001, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653/20 "2001-01-26T02:43:04Z")
I had “As Tears Go By” all figured out as about one of Marianne Faithful’s miscarriages except I had the chronology screwed up. Back to the drawing board! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-rolling-stones-lyrics/51653.md?page=2)