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Nick Cody
Nick Cody
Photo by
Karen Turner
5 String Man – A Song in Vain” recorded on the Stones album
“Let it Bleed” “Jamming along with the
For Keith Richards human riff” – this was a nickname for
Keith “Your satisfaction is his to give” –
I’m a massive music fan and I grew up reference to Stones hit “Satisfaction”
in what I consider to be a golden era of
music which was 1965 – 1975. During There are also many drug related
this period Mick Jagger and Keith references in the song “Homemade
Richards were at their songwriting blues” – an amphetamine used
peak. I decided to write a song about extensively in 70s “Mandy’s touch” –
Keith after reading his superb slang term for the sedative Mandrax “A
autobiography “Life” which is not just a rush without traffic” – this is a phonetic
great story about the Rolling Stones, ambiguity talking about the rush from
but also great social commentary on taking drugs “You know which line’s
this period in UK history. this side of dying” – another phonetic
ambiguity talking about a literal line
When I play this live, I always ask the and a line associated with drug
audience if they can spot the clues as consumption
to who “the 5 string man” is. Any
guitarist would of course get this as “Gram, Mick, Les and BB too” refer to
Keith famously decided to tune his famous musicians Keith played with,
guitar to open G and only use 5 instead namely Gram Parsons, Mick Jagger.
of 6 strings. There are endless Les Paul and BB King” Only Mick
references to The Rolling Stones Jagger is still alive today. The final line
throughout these lyrics including the “Your life’s in paper for all to read”
following – refers to the title of his autobiography
“Life”
“Exiled out on the mainline” – a refer-
ence to Exile on Main Street album www.smallchangediaries.com
“Rocking this world since 1962” – when https://www.facebook.com/small-
the band first started out changediaries/
“All the girls know your love’s in vain” – www.nickcody.co.uk
reference to Robert Johnson son “Love http://www.smallchangediaries.com/ly
rics/
www.writeawaymagazine.co.uk
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