About the song
In the early 1970s, amidst the burgeoning rock and roll scene, a band named Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was making waves with their infectious tunes and humorous lyrics. One of their most memorable tracks, “The Cover of Rolling Stone,” became a satirical anthem that poked fun at the superficial aspects of fame and the obsession with recognition in the music industry.
Penned by the talented Shel Silverstein, the song playfully laments the band’s apparent failure to achieve the ultimate symbol of rock and roll stardom: appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. With a tongue-in-cheek tone, the lyrics highlight the irony of a group that possesses all the trappings of success—teenage groupies, drug use, and electrifying guitar solos—yet remains overlooked by the industry’s most influential publication.
The song’s popularity was such that it eventually caught the attention of Rolling Stone itself. In a surprising twist of fate, the magazine did indeed feature Dr. Hook on its cover, but not in the way the band had envisioned. Instead of a glamorous photograph, the cover featured a satirical caricature of the group, with the caption “What’s-Their-Names Make the Cover.” While this was a humorous response to the band’s plea, it also served as a commentary on the fickle nature of fame and the often superficial judgments made in the music industry.
Beyond its satirical humor, “The Cover of Rolling Stone” also offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by musicians seeking recognition in a competitive landscape. The song’s enduring popularity is a testament to its relatable themes and timeless appeal, making it a classic that continues to resonate with audiences of all ages.
Video
Lyrics
I don’t believe it
Da, da, ah, oh, 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 10, 000 dollars a show (right)
We take all kinda pills that give us all kinda thrills but the thrill we’ve never known
Is the thrill that’ll get ya when you get your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone
wanna see my picture on the cover
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for my mother (yes)
(Stone) wanna see my smiling face
On the cover of the Rolling Stone (that’s a very, very good idea)
I got a freaky ol’ lady name a cocaine Katy who embroideries on my jeans
I got my poor ol’ grey-haired daddy driving my limousine
Now it’s all designed to blow our minds but our minds won’t really be blown
Like the blow that’ll get ya when you get your picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone
wanna see our pictures on the cover
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for our mothers (yeah)
(Stone) wanna see my smiling face
On the cover of the Rolling Stone
Hey, I know how
Rock and roll
Oh, that’s beautiful
We got a lotta little teenage blue-eyed groupies who’d 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 getting richer but we can’t get our picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone
wanna see my picture on the cover
(Stone) wanna buy five copies for my mother (I want one)
(Stone) wanna see my smiling face
On the cover of the Rolling Stone
On the cover of the Rolling Stone
Gonna see my picture on the cover (I don’t know why we ain’t on the cover, baby)
Gonna buy five copies for my mother (we’re beautiful fellas)
Gonna see my smiling face (I ain’t kidding ya, we would make a beautiful cover)
On the cover of the Rolling Stone (front shot, right up front, man, I can see it now)
We’d be on the front, smiling, man, oh, beautiful