Album: Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) (1966)

Charted: 1 2

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• You're the kind of person you meet at certain dismal, dull affairs
  Center of a crowd, talking much too loud, running up and down the stairs
  Well, it seems to me that you have seen too much in too few years
  And though you've tried you just can't hide your eyes are edged with tears
  
  You better stop, look around
  Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  
  When you were a child you were treated kind
  But you were never brought up right
  You were always spoiled with a thousand toys but still you cried all night
  Your mother who neglected you owes a million dollars tax
  And your father's still perfecting ways of making sealing wax
  
  You better stop, look around
  Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  
  Oh, who's to blame, that girl's just insane
  Well nothing I do don't seem to work
  It only seems to make matters worse, oh please
  
  You were still in school when you had that fool who really messed your mind
  And after that you turned your back on treating people kind
  On our first trip I tried so hard to rearrange your mind
  But after a while I realized you were disarranging mine
  
  You better stop, look around
  Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  
  Oh, who's to blame, that girl's just insane
  Well nothing I do don't seem to work
  It only seems to make matters worse, oh please
  
  When you were a child you were treated kind
  But you were never brought up right
  You were always spoiled with a thousand toys but still you cried all night
  Your mother who neglected you owes a million dollars tax
  And your father's still perfecting ways of making sealing wax
  
  You better stop, look around
  Here it comes
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown
  Here comes your nineteenth nervous breakdown Writer/s: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
  Publisher: Abkco Music Inc.
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 24

• Sissy Beans from Somewhere In WashingtonI didn't like them at first but do like them now and from about the second song they came out with! Different from Beatles but just as creative!
• Travis D. from WisconsinAlways liked the Stones since they set themselves apart from the Beatles and had their own sound.
  Great song and musicians.
• AnonymousBut what is ceiling wax?
• Deirdre Renee Westenhauser from Clint, TexasBeing an only child during the '60s, how these lyrics really resonate with me. I just wish I had someone who could have turned my childhood around.
• Aliasa from NycGreat quote by Jagger about Dylan
• Cary from Nee Hampshire I've misheard the line about "a thousand toys" as "chores", and the "fool" boyfriend as "flu" (in other words, the mean parents made her go to school when she was sick.)
• George from Vancouver, CanadaCritics & whingers mneed tyo just slow their roll & enjoy this as a fun little ditty with a good beat to it. . . Classic Stones! I find it funny people were offended (OFFENDED?!) by a SONG!
  
  Possibly of note is that 'wax' has always been a slamng term for really potent marijuana; does it automatically mean it was about Mick's own usage? No! "Sealing wax" suggests it was so thick it could be used as such. . . He did say he was spoofing the culture around him in L.A. -- sounds legit -- perhaps all the accusations of being dopeheads led them to say "WTF" & join into that culture. ..
• Jennifur Sun from RamonaR-Montral, Charlie is one of my fav drummers.
• Jim Walsh from Dedham, MaIs it just a coincidence that Puff, The Magic Dragon, written by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton in 1958 and 19th Nervous Breakdown both mention "sealing wax"?
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyConcerning the second post below:
  It was a rarity for the 'Sullivan' show not to have the acts appear live; this February 13th, 1966 appearance by the Stones was actually recorded the day before, but to the credit of Mr. Sullivan, he never allowed lip-sync performances on his show.
• George from Vancouver, CanadaThat's pretty Grunge for the Stones!
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 13th 1966, the Rolling Stones performed "19th Nervous Breakdown" on the CBS-TV program 'The Ed Sullivan Show'...
  One week later on February 20th, it entered the Top 100 at position #46; and three weeks later on March 13th it peaked at #2* {for 3 weeks} and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks...
  It also reached #2 in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, but did peak at #1 in Germany...
  They had one other record peak at #2, "Start Me Up", for three weeks on March 25, 1981, and had eight records reach #1 on the Top 100...
  * The three weeks "19th Nervous Breakdown" was at #2; the #1 record for all three of those weeks was "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by S/Sgt. Barry Sadler.
• Roy from Slough, United KingdomI always thought the song was about Brian Jones.
• Johnny from Pomona, CaAt 3:43, the song slows down for a second and returns to normal speed (and pitch).
  Obviously a problem with the recording tape machine in the studio. It sounds like someone bumped it.
  
  Does anyone know the story?
• Fred from Laurel, MdThe first color TV broadcast in the U.S. was some time in the 1950's (1958 or earlier)--I know, because my uncle had a color set, and I saw shows that were in color back then.
• R from Montreal, Qc, CanadaListen carefully to the bass lines and the drum; its marvellous how Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman keeps that train on its rails. The cymbal is always at the right time; nothing to do with the other pop drummers.
• Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScSeems like the parents in the song weren't very good parents. They buy the girl all she wnats, but they don't really take care of her the way they should.
• Alan from Grande Prairie, Alberta, CanadaEddie Cochran did a tune called "Nervous Breakdown" great guitar work but of the early rockers Eddie could hold his own.
• Fyodor from Denver, CoI always liked that little fuzz guitar bit after the "turn around" line and as a kid wondered why the whole song couldn't sound like that. Eventually I got into experimental music!
• Johnny from Los Angeles, CaI think I'll start doing that, Andrea. The songfacts guy is right. Maybe someone has a nervous breakdown even though they are rich and have everything.
• Kyle from Allentown, Pai love the ed sullivan show live version. it shows like a longer beginning. i just love this song and always will.
• Charles from Bronxville, NyJason and the Scorchers do a cover that blows the doors off the Stones! It makes it a GREAT song.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, ScActually, I never got what the song was about, and I didn't think much of it either.
• Stefanie Magura from Rock Hill, Scthat's pretty funny andria. Anyway, I always thought the song was about someone having a nervous breakdown, hence the title. I guess I can see why it would be a joke, and why it would have drug raferences.

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