Everyone has their own interpretation about what a song is about or means. Has anyone else ever looked at No Expectations through the viewpoint of it being about Brian?--His increasing isolation from and marginalization within the band to the point that he was virtually gone by the time the song was recorded, his decline into just being a sad shadow of his former self mentally and physically from drugs; By this time, everything that meant something to him--His band, his girlfriend--was gone. He once was a rich man, now so poor....Perhaps he'd felt down and out and like an outcast before but never like this in his 'sweet, short life'? As the band left him, the band he founded and pretty much seemed to live for, it was what defined him; With Anita leaving him, his peace of mind was gone.

And you could look at the fourth verse as sort of a mutual goodbye between Brian and the Band--Their love, their relationship together was like their music; it's here, and then it's gone.

I just think if you look at it from that sort of point of view, it becomes incredibly heartbreaking. Especially when you consider the song is his last major contribution to the band and his last role performing an instrument as a Rolling Stone was on this song at the Rock N' Roll Circus, his decline and marginalization obvious for anyone to see...He'd not pass through there again, his beautiful, fragile slide guitar leading the bittersweet song, one last waltz with the band he began.

Take me to the station
And put me on a train
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again

Once I was a rich man and
Now I am so poor
But never in my sweet short life
Have I felt like this before

You heart is like a diamond
You throw your pearls at swine
And as I watch you leaving me
You pack my peace of mind

Our love was like the water
That splashes on a stone
Our love is like our music
Its here, and then its gone

So take me to the airport
And put me on a plane
I've got no expectations
To pass through here again

Seems very predicting these lyrics. That old Jagger....

Gazza wrote on Jan 14^th, 2013 at 6:41am:


Even though it wasn't the point of no return, I think the writing was clearly written on the wall by then: His time with the band was coming to an end. He was pretty damn distant from them all at this point. He was already marginalized from being the leader, his mental and physical health were fading before everyone's else, Anita had already ditched him for Keith, which broke his and Keith's bond permanently.

While it may not have been written with him specifically with mind, I think seeing how he was falling and fading out of the picture slowly had to have some sort of emotional effect on everyone who once loved him...Maybe it was a subconscious influence.

I think, as detached as Mick tries to seem or seems at times, I think he probably felt a lot sadder about Brian's fall than he lets on, and certainly more than Keith did, maybe even more than he was consciously aware of...An example of this being Shine a Light. That song was written in March 1968 and was clearly written about Mick's feelings on Brian at that point, his sadness over it all....Who's to say the same sadness and bittersweet feelings about Brian didn't shadow No Expectations as well? It was written within the same period....

I'm just saying a song doesn't have to be explicitly about one subject or another or be influenced by one thing solely. It could simply be that Mick and Keith wanted to try at doing a Robert Johnson type song...With some obvious inspiration lyrically and melody wise unfolding before their eyes, perhaps without them realizing it consciously.

damnit...he played some slide guitar....he was not using a lap steel....that always gets mixed up.

Did Brian do more drugs than Keith "overall" back then, or did Brian just accidentally drown?

Keith partied with his heroin, but he was safe about it...He got his smack from reliable people, in more pharmaceutical doses and very clean. He didn't really go to the EDGE. He can say he survived this or that but it's more about him having good connections that ensured he never got a bad batch of Heroin. It isn't that he was stronger than this one or that. Just knew the right people and was more cautious....

Brian probably partied harder with everything and blew his mind in the process, sadly. His last days are kind of muddy--some say he was just this plump, depressed, heavy lidded shadow of his former self, some say he'd seemed the happiest in years after he was fired from the Stones and that he had all sorts of plans and that it was almost like a relief for him.

What Brian would've done, had he lived, probably would've been amazing. I could easily imagine him experimenting with prog rock. I don't think he would've ended up like Syd Barrett.

And I think in a friendlier, less vicious environment--one where he might've had more confidence--he could've showcased his musical ability and bloomed into being an artist of his own. Mick and Keith can claim he had no songwriting talent, but then, did he ever actually show his songs to anyone?

Is this about Brian?

You look like you're totally spaced
Your breath's got a horrible taste
You look like a leper, dressed as Sergeant Pepper
Are you going to throw up all over my face