Something Happened To Me Yesterday Lyrics

Lyric discussion by RedolentRebel 

Cover art for Something Happened To Me Yesterday lyrics by Rolling Stones, The

I think this song concerns homosexuality:

1) Consider the lyrics: "He don't know if it's right or wrong Maybe he should tell someone He's not sure just what it was Or if it's against the law"

In 1967, homosexuality was just being legalized in England so the status was unclear. Whether it is right or wrong or against the law are questions asked of homosexuality. Everyone knew that drugs were criminalized --The Stones were prosecuted for drugs.

2) And Consider these lyrics:

Something happened to me yesterday Something I can't speak of right away

Having gay sex is something one finds it difficult to speak of right away.

3) And consider these lyrics:

No one's sure just what it was Or the meaning and the cause

People have been speculating about the "cause" of homosexuality for ages.

4) And consider these closing lines:

Well thank you very much and now I think it's time for us All to go. so from all of us to all of you not forgetting The boys in the band and our producer, Reg Thorpe, We'd like to say "God Bless". So, if you're out tonight, Don't forget, if you're on your bike, wear white...amen.

The "boys in the band" was a play, and then a movie, about gay men. In the song, we are told not to forget the boys in the band. He is telling us to include our gay brothers.

5) Consider the vocal tones:

There is a softness and a sweetness often absent from the stones. This can be congruent with gayness. (of course any decent and sensitive straight guy can sound this way too.)

I always loved Jagger. There was always a bisexual aura about him, but he was very emphatically macho. In the early 70's he was a sort of glittering macho faggot son of a bitch blazing across the sky like a comet. Man, I loved him.