The Cover of "Rolling Stone"

Album: Sloppy Seconds (1972)
Charted: 6
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  • Well, we're big rock singers
    We got golden fingers
    And we're loved everywhere we go (that sounds like us)
    We sing about beauty and we sing about truth
    At ten-thousand dollars a show (right)
    We take all kinds of pills that give us all kind of thrills
    But the thrill we've never known
    Is the thrill that'll gitcha when you get your picture
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone

    (Rollin stone) want to see my picture on the cover
    (Stone)Wanna buy five copies for my mother (yes)
    (Stone)Wanna see my smilin' face
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone (that's a very very good idea)

    I got a freaky ole lady name a cocaine Katy
    Who embroideries on my jeans
    I got my poor ole grey haired daddy
    Drivin' my limousine
    Now it's all designed to blow our minds
    But our minds won't really be blown
    Like the blow that'll gitcha when you get your picture
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone

    (Rollin Stone) want to see our pictures on the cover
    (Stone) want to buy five copies for our mothers (yeah)
    (Stone) want to see my smilin' face
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone
    (talking) Hey, I know how
    Rock and roll

    Ah, that's beautiful
    We got a lot of little teenage blue eyed groupies
    Who do anything we say
    We got a genuine Indian Guru
    Who's teaching us a better way
    We got all the friends that money can buy
    So we never have to be alone
    And we keep getting richer but we can't get our picture
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone

    (Rollin stone)Gonna see my picture on the cover
    (Stone) Gonna buy five copies for my mother (wa wa)
    (Stone) Gonna see my smilin' face
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone
    On the cover of the Rollin'
    Stone) Gonna see my picture on the cover
    (talking) I don't know why we ain't on the cover, baby
    (Stone) Gonna buy five copies for my mother
    (talking) We're beautiful subjects
    (Stone) Want to see my smilin' face
    (talking) I ain't kiddin', we would make a beautiful cover
    On the cover of the Rollin' Stone
    (talking) Fresh shot, right up front, man
    I can see it now, we'll be up in the front
    Smilin, man
    Ah, beautiful. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 43

  • Just Judy from UsaRay Sawyer was a Country singer and blended Country with Rock > This song is a GREAT mockery of the FAME all rockers wanted and got on the Cover of that magazine! > Listen to the lyrics ... all about the drug use, riches, a guru , teenage groupies , funny guitar riff mocking crazy rock music > NO, Ray was NO fame freak like Lennon, Dylan and SO many more !!!!!!! Song written by Shel Silverstein & done by Dr. Hook to EXPOSE EGO tripping rock stars !!!
  • Fuzzd from EuropeFun Fact: The Hanna-Barbara animated TV cartoon Top Cat was renamed "Boss Cat" by the BBC. The reason being that there was a brand of cat food in the UK called "Top Cat". BBC didn't change anything but the title card, so it was still Top Cat in the title song and during the show all the other characters still called him "TC". Which was confusing af to a young viewer then.
  • George from Vancouver, CanadaNobody reads the songfacts before posting? It clearly points out (verifiable via Google) that 3 months later he got on the cover of thge Rolling Stone -- no confirmation if he "bought 5 copies for my mother," though
  • James from Elizabethtown, KentuckyDave from Wheaton, Il, It is Dennis Locorriere. The other lead vocalist.
  • Seventhmist from 7th HeavenSilverstein is probably the most intriguing artist whose work I enjoyed. He'd write and perform songs like this one day, then write and draw books like "Where the Sidewalk Ends" the next. If songs and books were rated the way movies are, he'd be in every category from G to NC-17 (or at least R).
  • Dale From Gaffney S. Carolina from Gaffney ScI can’t believe it took Dr hook to play this song just to get on the “cover of the rolling stone” Ray Sawyer did a excellent job singing that song...RIP my friend...
  • Jennifur Sun from RamonaDave-Wheaton, Il you may be able to find out from google. Or if the band has a web page on Facebook.
  • Dave from Wheaton, IlWho was the deep-voiced member who kept sayin' 'Beautiful'? Please let us know.
  • Susan from Atlanta, GaA friend of mine whose mother's name was Rose used to call her mother "Katie", borrowing on the line, "I got a freaky old lady name of Cocaine Katie". For a fact, her mother was a freaky old lady, so it fit.
  • Carolyn from Knoville, TnThis is one of the funniest song videos ever by Dr. Hook. It was "covered" by Buck Owens and Roy Clark. Their version was "The Cover of the Music City News", and unlike Dr. Hook, they actually made the cover!
  • Grant from Port Pirie, AustraliaIf you watch this on YouTube, in about the first 10 secs the organ player on the far left of screen nearly topples over, he stumbles into the speakers or something and then rights himself, obviously due to gruelling concert demands........yer right!!
  • B.l. from Barry, TxLove this song, and there's a sort of follow-up in the later appropriately-named album "Bankrupt" called "Everybody's Makin' It Big But Me." However, "Makin' It" is from the prospective that that the band has yet to become famous enough to grace the cover of "Rolling Stone."
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyBetween December 1972 and April 1979 Dr. Hook had four releases that made the Top 10; interestingly all four peaked at #6; The Cover of "Rolling Stone", Only Sixteen, Sharing the Night Together, and When You're in Love With A Beautiful Girl...
  • Paul from Marysville, WaGreat song. But my friend and I were initially confused because we were in grade school when it came out and we'd only heard of the british group The Rolling Stones-- and not Jann Wenner's magazine of the same name.

    We were like "Why would they want to be on the cover of another band's album?"!!!
  • Doctorhook from Endicott, NyThe band Dr. Hook was NOT previously named The Chocolate Papers. T.C.P. was a different band entirely. The only similarities were that George Cummings, Ray Sawyer, Billy Francis, & Popeye Philips were members of both bands. Didfferent band, some of the same members. The Choc. Papers came years before Hook.
  • David from Youngstown, OhThe band did a rendition of this song on the old Mike Douglas show. Every so often, Douglas changed into some strange clothing and made a funny pose behind a set that was made to look like the cover of Rolling Stone.
  • Bobby from Nashville, TnLet's not forget the best of the whole bunch.
    Billy Francis !!!
  • Bobby from Nashville, TnShel was NOT a member of DHATMS.
  • Karl from Akron, , Oh Watching the video of Cover of the Roling Stone on youtube, George goes a little off the wall with his guitar solo. ( And what's with him and the red scarf over the mic? )
  • Dee from Cullman, Alif they ever have a come back concert with the ones that R still living I am there
  • Dee from Cullman, AlI love to listen to dr hook I think theyre love songs asre a lot sexyer than the songs today My fav line in cover of the rooling stones is buy 5 coppies for ny mother
  • Dee from Cullman, AlI love dr hook
  • Richard from Talladega, AlRay Sawyer, from Chickasaw, Alabama, celebrates his birthday today, February 1, 2008. He is still among the living.
  • Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmI saw their picture on the cover of the rollingstone on google.
    "We take all kinds of pills to give us all kinds a thrills." I love that line. I also love when hhe says "Im gonna buy 5 copies for my mother!" and someon else yells in the backround, "I want one!"
    LQTM.
  • Mark from Byrdstown, TnActually Dr.Hook did make the cover of "The Rolling Stone" after this song hit.

    "I got my poor old gray haired daddy driving my limosine" is such a great line!
  • Christi from Gonzales, LaBuck Owens did a version of this called "On the Cover of the Music City News" which was the country music parody of this song.
  • Delilah from Staten Island, NyI wonder if they got on the rolling stones for that song? XD LOL LOL LOL
  • Ronda from Cornfield County, NeAnother Shel Silverstein lyric is "The Winner," recorded by Bobby Bare. I first read it as a poem in Playboy in the 70's. It's a cautionary tale about those who love to fight.

    http://sniff.numachi.com/~rickheit/dtrad/pages/tiWINNR2.html
  • Kidkel69 from Burlington, WiIf you want to come watch us and see Dr. Hook Cheap Trick Buckcherry I am like MTV of You Tube
    looking for a social group to help with my music media related causes
    http://www.rockingfunmusic.com
  • Kidkel69 from Burlington, WiHey you guys I just opened The Largest on-line rocking reality show and music store. I use this site to check all the facts.
    Cover of the Rolling Stone Campaign 2007
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  • Heather from Huntsville, AlSo, Ray Sawyer died in 2002, huh? That's weird, I saw him in concert last year.
  • Andrew from Tampa, FlAmanda, I can find no reference at all to the death of the lead singer Ray Sawyer, and he'd likely be upset to know he had passed, too...
  • Ian from Lethbridge, CanadaIn all honesty, this song has one of my all-time favourite guitar solos.
  • Wayne from Roling Stone, MnLong live Dr. Hook
  • Darryl from QueenslandSorry, but the title shown is incorrect. This has come about because of the lyrics. It's officially just 'The Cover Of "Rolling Stone"'.
  • Nick from Tampa, FlSilvertstein penned a number of songs for Dr. Hook mostly invloving sex and drugs,including "I got stoned and I missed it"
  • Scott from Harrisburg, PaShel Silverstein was also a Playboy cartoonist.
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnAnother Shel Silverstein hit for Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. Though comical in nature, the song refers to drug use with the line "We take all kinds of pills that give us all kinds of thrills." Fortunately, the group did make "The cover of the Rolling Stone."
  • Amanda from Florence, ScShel Silverstein was not in Dr.Hook but I understand he was good friends with the band and was there during some recording sessions. the lead singer died in 2002. This was reported by Rolling Stone too.
  • Tara from Pt.arthur, TxWas Shel Silverstein a member of Dr. Hook or did he just write for them?
  • Trevor from Belfast, IrelandDid Shel Silverstein write 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan'? Anybody know the meaning behind it?
  • Charles from Charlotte, NcSilverstein released an novelty tune in early 1973 "Sarah Synthia Silvia Stout". It was about a girl who would not take the garbage out.
  • Randy from Beaumont, TxAlso, the picture of them in Rolling Stone was printed up-side down
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