Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?

"Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?"
Single by The Rolling Stones
from the album Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass)
B-side	"Who's Driving Your Plane?"
Released	23 September 1966 (US & UK)
Format	7"
Recorded	31 August - 2 September 1966 at IBC Studios, London
Genre	Rock
Length	2:34
Label	Decca F 12497 (UK) London 45-903 (US)
Writer(s)	Mick Jagger/Keith Richards
Producer(s)	Andrew Loog Oldham
The Rolling Stones singles chronology
"Mother's Little Helper" (1966) Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow? (1966) "Ruby Tuesday"/"Let's Spend the Night Together" (1967)
US single cover (rear)

"Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as a single in September 1966 and was included as the opening track on the British version of their 1966 compilation album Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass).

Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song was recorded in the late summer of 1966 during early sessions for what would become their Between the Buttons LP. It is famous for its horn section arrangement (arranged by Mike Leander; this is the first Rolling Stones song to feature brass) and is one of the earliest songs to use feedback from the guitars. The Stones have said that they were unhappy with the final cut, bemoaning the loss of the original cut's strong rhythm section. This was the first song Keith Richards is said to have written on piano even though he does not play piano on the final cut. Jack Nitzsche, friend of the band and their occasional pianist, is credited in the session logs to piano, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jones is also credited in the logs for playing the piano. But when the band mimed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show in October 1966, Richards is seen miming the piano and Jones miming the guitar. The song is noted for its distorted Guitar ending, after all of the other instruments, as well as the vocalists drop out of the song, ending on a distorted guitar chord in the dominant. The song is in the key of G Major, and ends in the key of D Major.

It was released as a single in September 1966 simultaneously in the UK and the US (a first for the band), and reached #5 and #9 on those countries' charts, respectively.

The single is famous for its cover featuring the band dressed in drag. Peter Whitehead's promotional film for the single was one of the first music videos. A fan favourite, the song appears on many hits compilations and was recorded for the live album Got Live If You Want It!.

The track was released on the 2002 compilation album, Forty Licks with the abbreviated title of "Have You Seen Your Mother Baby?".

It has not been played live by the Stones since the 1966 tour (it was only ever played live by the Stones over a span of twelve days); however, Jagger performed it in New York in 1993 during his only solo show promoting the album Wandering Spirit.

The B-side is "Who's Driving Your Plane?", a bluesy track, which, for unknown reasons, was mis-titled "Who's Driving My Plane?" in the US.

Personnel

• Mick Jagger – vocals, handclaps
• Keith Richards – guitars, backing vocals, handclaps
• Brian Jones – distorted guitar, acoustic guitar
• Bill Wyman – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Charlie Watts – drums
• Jack Nitzsche – piano, tambourine
• Session musicians – trumpets

Charts

Chart (1966)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[1]	17
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[2]	12
Ireland (IRMA)[3]	5
Germany (Official German Charts)[4]	9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[5]	2
Norway (VG-lista)[6]	6
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[7]	5
US Billboard Hot 100[8]	9

Covers

• The Records recorded a cover of the song in 1979, released on a bonus EP called High Heels included with initial pressings of their debut album Shades in Bed.
• It was covered by The Hickoids on Kicking It With the Twits, a 2011 mini LP of British Invasion era covers.

References

1. "Ultratop.be – The Rolling Stones – Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
2. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5766." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
3. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rolling Stones". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
4. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Rolling Stones – Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
5. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Rolling Stones – Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
6. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Rolling Stones – Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?". VG-lista. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
7. "Rolling Stones: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
8. "The Rolling Stones – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for The Rolling Stones. Retrieved 17 June 2016.