You Better Move On

Composer: Arthur Alexander        Original performer: Arthur Alexander (1962)
Recording date: November 1963        Recording location: De Lane Lea Studios, London

Producer: Andrew Oldham

Performed onstage: 1962-64

Probable line-up:

Drums: Charlie Watts
Bass: Bill Wyman
Acoustic guitar: Brian Jones
Electric guitar: Keith Richards
Lead vocals: Mick Jagger
Background vocals: Brian Jones & Bill Wyman
 

You ask me to give up the hand of the girl I love
You tell me I'm not the man she's worthy of
But who are you to tell who to love?
That's up to her, yes and the Lord above
You better move on

Well I know you can buy her fancy clothes and diamond rings
But I believe she's happy with me without those things
Still you beg me to set her free
But my friend that will never be
You better move on

Now I don't blame you for loving her
But can't you understand, man, she's my girl?
And I'm never, never ever going to let her go
Cause I, yeah, I love her so

Well I think you better go now, I'm getting mighty mad
You ask me to give up the only love I've ever had
Maybe I would, oh but I love her so
I'm never going to let her go
You better move on
Yeah, you better move on
Yeah, you better move on
Yeah, you better move on

 
 

TrackTalk

It is an Arthur Alexander number, and as much R&B as Memphis or Road Runner. We have been using it in our act for ages and it has always gone down well; that's why we decided to record it.

- Mick Jagger, February 1964


We liked the song but we just thought of it as one of the four songs (note: on the UK EP released in January 1964), different from the fast ones and suddenly that was the thing that everybody was playing. And different fans started to listen to that and grown-up people listened to it. Your MUMS liked it, you know, all that kind of thing. (Laughs) But it was a nice song and it didn't put you off like Come On did.

- Bill Wyman, 1982



Back to TrackTalk Menu.

Back to December's Children.

Back to Main Page.