About the song
“The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone'” stands as a classic example of music industry satire, penned by Shel Silverstein and immortalized by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show in 1972. This whimsical yet pointed song encapsulates the band’s playful frustration at their inability to grace the cover of the iconic Rolling Stone magazine. Despite embodying all the stereotypical trappings of rock stardom—drug references, adoring groupies, and blistering guitar solos—the band humorously laments their exclusion from the magazine’s coveted cover.
Released as their third single, the song quickly gained popularity, climbing to No. 6 on the U.S. pop charts in March 1973. The irony peaked when Rolling Stone itself responded to the band’s plea with a caricature cover on March 29, 1973, featuring only three members under the caption “What’s-Their-Names Make the Cover.” This tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement cemented the song’s place in music history, showcasing both the power of satire and the influence of media recognition on artistic validation.
Interestingly, the song faced resistance from BBC Radio due to its explicit reference to a commercial publication, a move that sparked a legendary response. Allegedly, in defiance, BBC disc jockeys added their own voices shouting “RADIO TIMES” over the chorus in an attempt to adapt the song for their own publication, though the original recording persisted in the background. This incident not only highlighted the song’s impact but also underscored the playful defiance and wit of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.
In the UK, where the reworked version was quickly promoted as “the first banned single of 1973,” the controversy only fueled the song’s notoriety. Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone'” remains a timeless emblem of musical satire, reflecting on the paradoxical nature of fame and success in the entertainment industry.
Through its clever lyrics and infectious melody, this song continues to entertain and provoke thought, reminding us of the ever-present tension between artistic ambition and media acclaim. Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show’s enduring legacy is forever intertwined with this anthem to unfulfilled rock ‘n’ roll dreams and the unpredictable twists of fame.
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Lyrics
Hahaha, I don’t believe it
Da, da, ah, ah don’t touch me
Hey ray, hey sugar, tell them who we are
Well, we’re big rock singers
We got golden fingers
And we’re loved everywhere we go (that sounds like us)
We sing about beauty and we sing about truth
At ten thousand dollars a show (right)
We take all kinds of pills that give us all kind of thrills
But the thrill we’ve never known
Is the thrill that’ll getcha when you get your picture
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone
wanna see my picture on the cover
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for my mother (yes)
(Stone) wanna see my smilin’ face
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone (that’s a very, very good idea)
I got a freaky ol’ lady, name of Cocaine Katy
Who embroiders on my jeans
I got my poor ol’ grey-haired daddy
Drivin’ my limousine
Now it’s all designed to blow our minds
But our minds won’t really be blown
Like the blow that’ll getcha when you get your picture
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone
wanna see our pictures on the cover
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for our mothers (yeah)
(Stone) wanna see my smilin face
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone
Hey, I know how (sure enough)
Rock and roll
Ah, that’s beautiful
We got a lot of little teenage blue-eyed groupies
Who do anything we say
We got a genuine Indian guru
He’s teaching us a better way
We got all the friends that money can buy
So we never have to be alone
And we keep gettin’ richer but we can’t get our picture
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone
wanna see my picture on the cover
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for my mother (I want one)
(Stone) wanna see my smilin’ face
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone
On the cover of the Rollin’
(Stone) gonna see my picture on the cover
“I don’t know why we ain’t on the cover, baby”
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for my mother
“We’re beautiful fellas”
(Stone) wanna see my smilin’ face
“I ain’t kiddin’ ya, oh, we would make a beautiful cover”
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone
“A fresh shot, right up front, man”
“I can see it now, we’ll be on the front”
“Smilin’, man”
“Aah, beautiful”