A-side "We Love You" Genre Psychedelic pop | Format 7" | |
Released 18 August 1967 (UK)
2 September 1967 (US) Recorded November - December 1966, May - July 1967 Length 3:48 (original); 3:32 (edit) | ||
"Dandelion" is a song by the English rock 'n roll band The Rolling Stones, written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and first released as a B-side to "We Love You" in August 1967. An apparently lighthearted song (with references to the English children's game of using the seedheads of dandelions as clocks) albeit with an undertone of wistfulness, it reached #14 in the United States, and effectively became the A-side there (as the edgier “We Love You” disappointed at #50 on US charts). This is reflected in “Dandelion” appearing on both the US and United Kingdom versions of Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) in 1969, while “We Love You” appeared only on the UK version.
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The first demo version of “Dandelion” was recorded in November 1966; it was originally titled “Sometimes Happy, Sometimes Blue”, had different lyrics, and was sung and played by Keith Richards. On the released version, Mick Jagger sang lead vocals.
The Rolling Stones have never performed "Dandelion" live; nonetheless it has been included on several compilations, including Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2), More Hot Rocks (Big Hits & Fazed Cookies), Singles Collection: The London Years, and Rolled Gold+: The Very Best of the Rolling Stones.
The original single releases had a faded-in coda consisting of a short piano section from the A-side, “We Love You”; the coda is missing on most compilation albums, which include the song in a 3:32 edit, but it may be heard, for example, on Singles Collection: The London Years.