Waiting for a girl she has no money anywhere
We get buses everywhere
Waiting for a factory girl
Waiting for a girl and her knees are much too fat
Waiting for a girl who wears scarves instead of hats
Her zipper's broken down the back
Waiting for a factory girl
Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night
She's a sight for sore eyes
Waiting for a factory girl
Waiting for a girl and she's got stains all down her dress
Waiting for a girl and my feet are getting wet
She ain't come out yet
Waiting for a factory girl
This is one of my favourite Stones songs. I bet you knew that! I fell in love with Keith's guitar work the first time I heard it. Musically, it's one of the more "upbeat" of the Stones' songs. There's something about it that just makes you feel good when you hear it.
Lyrically, it does seem strange for Mick to be singing about the virtues (?) of a working class girl. By 1968 his contact with such a person would have been severely limited by his fame. From what the world has seen of Mick's dating habits, "working class" is not a term that could be used to describe his choices.
According to Steve Appleford's amazing book The Rolling Stones It's Only Rock 'N' Roll: Song By Song, the music for Factory Girl was written by Keith first and then Mick filled in the lyrics. Did Mick have someone in mind? I imagine him stuck in some hotel, staring out a window on a rainy day watching people going to work at a nearby factory. Perhaps there was one woman who caught his fancy, someone he enjoyed watching. Maybe for a few minutes everyday, Mick Jagger fell in love.
Then again, maybe not.
I've always been a bit of a romantic at heart. There is a part of me that wants to believe that Mick means it when he sings about loving a girl who isn't perfect, who doesn't have any money and stains on her dress. I imagine him getting into fights defending her honor. Mick seems to be saying she's worth it. Oh, the luxury of having someone waiting for you everyday after work! It must be love to keep him standing out in the rain so long...
Go To Page: 1 2
