Stoned, the B-side to the Rolling Stoners’ second single >the Paul McCartney/John Lennon penned I Wanna Be Your Man > was credited to Nanker/Phelge, a pseudonym for the Stones themselves. Yep, Stoned was about drugs.

Nanker, according to bass player Bill Wyman in his book Rolling With The Stones, was a pig-like face that Stones band members pulled for laughs, and a favourite of guitarist Brian Jones. Phelge was the surname of a flatmate when core Rolling Stones band members were roughing it in Edith Grove, London.

“Phelge”  gets a credit on this the band’s first album album for the instrumental Now I’ve Got A Witness, and a co-credit with legendary producer Phil Spector on Little By Little. Spector attended the recording sessions mostly as a spectator.

I wait as the days go by

I long for the nights to go by

I hear the knock on my door that never comes

I hear the telephone that hasn’t rung

> the sole credit for Mick Jagger Keith Richards on the self-titled first album is love ballad Tell Me.

Jagger/Richards would go on to write just about all Stones originals, with the very, very occasional co-credit for other band members.

Stoned

Out of my mind

Here I go

Ah, yeah

Where am I at?

Yeah, yeah

> and that was all they wrote > seriously!! A moody little treat with plenty of piano > bass > guitar break > harmonica. How the hell did the Stones get away with releasing such a song in 1963. Stoned was not on the first album but is included in several compilation sets > among them excellent Singles Collection London Years.

Well I’m a king bee, baby

Buzzing around your hive

Yeah I can make honey baby

Let me come inside

Well I’m a king bee, baby

Can buzz all night long

Yeah I can buzz better baby

When your man is gone

> a blues belter written by James Moore