Hang Fire

Album: Tattoo You (1981)
Charted: 20
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  • In the sweet old country where I come from
    Nobody ever works
    Yeah nothing gets done
    We hang fire, we hang fire

    You know marrying money is a full time job
    I don't need the aggravation
    I'm a lazy slob
    I hang fire, I hang fire
    Hang fire, put it on the wire baby
    Hang fire, hang fire put it on the wire baby, go ahead
    Hang fire

    We've got nothing to eat
    We got nowhere to work
    Nothing to drink
    We just lost our shirts
    I'm on the dole
    We ain't for hire
    Say what the hell
    Say what the hell, hang fire
    Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
    Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
    Hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby

    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo

    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire

    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
    Doo doo

    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo doo
    Doo doo

    Yeah ten thousand dollars, go have some fun
    Put it all on at a hundred to one
    Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, put it on the wire, baby
    Doo doo
    Doo doo, hang fire, hang fire put it on the wire
    Hang fire, hang fire, hang fire, hang fire
    Put it on the wire, baby
    Put it on the wire Writer/s: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

  • Jarrett Ward from Peru Illinois I had to research the dates to be sure because Hang Fire and Personality crisis by The New York Dolls sound so similar. Knowing Tattoo You came out in ‘81 and Personality crisis in ‘73, I thought for an instant that maybe The Stones had “borrowed” from it and forgot to credit The Dolls as they have other artists. But I guess Hang Fire was written in ‘71 so I was wrong. Has anybody else ever noticed how similar the songs are? It’s undeniable.
  • Chris from Kennesaw, GaOn the Rewind album (greatest hits 71-84) liner notes, this song has a 1971 copyright. Other songs have copyright dates consistent with when they were released. Thought this may have been written in 71 but not recorded or released until ~10 years later, but info I can find points to a 78-81 writing/recording time frame. Anybody know why it has a 1971 copyright?
  • Zero from Nowhere, NjI used to think they were saying, "Hang Five", like it was some kind of surfing term, like "Hang Ten". Idk the song kinda sounds surfy, so I figured...
  • Craig from Newport Beach, CaThe "Lazy Bitch" demo could not have referred to Margaret Thatcher because it was recorded during the Some Girls sessions before Thatcher was even elected PM.
  • Craig from Newport Beach, CaMick Jagger praised Margaret Thatcher for making England more productive, so "lazy bitch" almost certainly did not refer to her. More likely it referred to an ex of his. Margaret Thatcher reversed the trend the song refers to.
  • Joe from Fairfax, VaThis song is about gambling I always thought. Hang Fire means to wager a bet against the odds.
  • Johnny from Los Angeles, CaI always thought this was an ANTHEM for lazy people!
  • Rob from Santa Monica, CaCombines the rock simplicity of Some Girls with the clean production of Tattoo You, resulting in one of the most fun Stones songs ever.
  • Jim from North Billerica, MaA "Hang fire" happens when you pull the trigger on a rifle or pistol and nothing happens for a few seconds, then the gun goes off without warning, in a delayed reaction. A misfire is where you pull the trigger and NOTHING happens. Needless to say, hangfires are quite dangerous.
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