Now I've Got A Witness (Like Uncle Phil and Uncle Jean)

Album: The Rolling Stones (1964)
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Songfacts®:

  • Uncle Phil is Phil Spector, a legendary producer who was friends with The Stones. Uncle Gene is Gene Pitney, a singer who wrote the Stones' "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday." They were frequent visitors at The Stones' recording sessions.
  • This is an instrumental The Stones recorded at the same session where they covered "Can I Get A Witness." Some of the keyboards were taken from that song.
  • The song is credited to Nanker Phelge, a goofy name for a band composition (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts). According to Keith Richards, "Phelge" was the nickname of one of his former roommates. Here's how he described him to Melody Maker: "He was the sort of guy who would meet you on the stairs of your slum with his streaked Y-fronts on his head, and nothing else, and he'd say: 'This is Phelge - welcome home. Unfortunately I haven't made enough money this week to help chip in with the rent, so instead I'll entertain you and be as disgusting as possible for the whole week.'"

    "Nanker" is a name Brian Jones came up with.
  • Ian Stewart played organ on the song. Sometimes considered "The Sixth Stone," he also played on sessions for Led Zeppelin and formed his own outfit with Charlie Watts, Alexis Korner and Jack Bruce in the late '70s and early '80s called Rocket 88. After his death in 1985, The Stones played their only concert in a seven-year period at a London club in February 1986 as a tribute to Stewart. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 2

  • Roger from Montreal, Quebec, CanadaNanker Phelge meant the whole band contributed to the song, not only Jagger-Richards.
  • Greenpuppet from Canada, AbGene Pitney didn't write "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday" for the Stones, it was the other way around
see more comments

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