Emotional Rescue by The Rolling Stones Lyrics Meaning – Diving Deep into the Heart of a Rock Nostalgia
Lyrics
I’m so in love with you, you’re too deep in, you can’t get out
You’re just a poor girl in a rich man’s house
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Yeah, baby, I’m crying over you
Don’t you know promises were never meant to keep?
Just like the night, they dissolve off in sleep
I’ll be your savior, steadfast and true
I’ll come to your emotional rescue
I’ll come to your emotional rescue
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh
Yeah, the other night, cryin’, cryin’ baby yeah I’m cryin
Yeah I’m cryin, I’m your child baby, child,
Yeah I’m a child, I’m a child, I’m a child
You think you’re one of a special breed
You think that you’re his pet Pekinese
I’ll be your savior, steadfast and true
I’ll come to your emotional rescue
I’ll come to your emotional rescue
Ooh ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Yeah, I was dreamin’ last night baby
Last night I was dreamin’ that you’d be mine
But I was cryin’ like a child
Yeah I was cryin’, cryin’ like a child
Could be mine, mine, mine, mine, mine all mine
You could be mine, could be mine, could be mine all mine
I come to you, so silent in the night
So stealthy, so animal quiet
I’ll be your savior, steadfast and true
I’ll come to your emotional rescue
I’ll come to your emotional rescue
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
Yeah, you should be mine, mine, ooh!
Mmm yes, you could be mine, tonight and every night
I will be your knight in shining armor
Coming to your emotional rescue
You will be mine, you will be mine, all mine
You will be mine, you will be mine, all mine
I will be your knight in shining armor
Riding across the desert on a fine Arab charger
Amidst the glittering array of The Rolling Stones’ musical gems, ‘Emotional Rescue’ stands out as a track that at first listen offers a direct appeal with its disco-infused grooves. However, delving beyond the infectious rhythm lays an intricate tapestry of emotion and storytelling that warrants a deeper examination.
The 1980 hit single captures a tumultuous mix of vulnerability, desire, and a yearning for connection that is wrapped in the veneer of a rescue fantasy. It epitomizes the Stones’ knack for blending raw rock sensibilities with the evolving music scene of their era. In deciphering the lyrics of ‘Emotional Rescue’, we uncover the complexities of the human heart as told by one of rock’s most enduring bands.
The Savior Complex: Dismantling the Heroic Promise
The chorus of ‘Emotional Rescue’ unabashedly promises a steadfast savior at the ready. At a glance, it fulfills a romantic trope that’s as old as time. But Mick Jagger’s delivery—complemented by the band’s funky disco undertones—paints a layered picture of a savior figure that is not just pledging commitment but one that is navigating his own insecurity and despair.
‘I’ll come to your emotional rescue’ is repeated like a mantra, a self-soothing phrase for the singer himself as much as it is a declaration of protection for the object of his affections. His rescue fantasy is charged with personal emotional turmoil, highlighting a dependency in the face of unrequited love.
Unwrapping the Rich Man’s House Metaphor
In the opening verse, we are presented with the imagery of a ‘poor girl in a rich man’s house,’ which serves as a metaphor for feeling out of place or trapped in a seemingly enviable situation. Interestingly, the lyrics speak to a broader societal commentary on the illusions of wealth and happiness – a rich tapestry within which individual emotions are tangled.
This motif of entrapment continues to thread its way through the song, encapsulating the essence of the Stones’ narrative: a struggle for genuine emotional connection amidst the deceptive facades of excess and success.
Dreams Versus Reality: The Tortured Artist’s Plight
The Rolling Stones consistently demonstrate an acute awareness of the harsh light of day reflecting on the idealistic dreams of the night. Jagger sings of dream-induced fantasies crashing into stark reality, where tears flow as freely as in dreams but carry the salty sting of actual heartache.
This dichotomy between nocturnal dreams and daytime realities adds a bittersweet layer to the song, as the frontman vacillates between the brave face of a savior and the vulnerability of a heartbroken child. Even in an apparent cry for emotional rescue, the dream of reciprocated love remains elusive.
Sifting Through the Song’s Hidden Meaning: A Dance Floor Analogy
The song is an amalgamation of the Stones’ traditional rock and the disco fever of the late 70s, and this fusion may very well symbolize the blending of public and private personas we all maintain. On the dance floor of ‘Emotional Rescue’, each groove embodies a deliberate motion to mask the complex layers of true emotion beneath.
It could be theorized that ‘Emotional Rescue’ is the Stones’ artistic envisioning of a world where one hides in the rhythm to avoid facing the music of their own emotions—a poignant commentary on the psychology of escapism through the very medium that often facilitates it.
The Memory of Melody: Unforgettable Lines that Capture a Generation
There’s an undeniable charm in the lines ‘I will be your knight in shining armor, riding across the desert on a fine Arab charger.’ This picturesque lyric not only cements the song’s themes of chivalry and rescue; it evokes a grandioire imagery that transcends time, enlivening fantasies of heroic deeds and timeless romance.
These words linger long after the song ends, encapsulating the endurance of ‘Emotional Rescue’s thematic currents and ensuring its place as a touchstone in the rich mosaic of The Rolling Stones’ discography – a testament to the band’s ability to carve enduring narratives through their music.
