Pop Stand: Getting Stoned

Rock is big on stone, not surprisingly

Non-rolling stone. Photo by Noel Holston

“Everybody must get stoned,” Bob Dylan sang on one of his late-’60s hits, and you can bet your last ganja bud that a lot of other songwriters did.

The word turns up in the lyrics and titles of many ’70s and ’80s songs, though Ray Charles was recommending some sort of mind-altering binge much earlier. And there are just as many songs that reflect the earthen definition of the term.

Here’s a Pop Stand playlist of a few that come to mind easily

And It Stoned Me — Van Morrison

Stone Soul Picnic — The Fifth Dimension

Let’s Go Get Stoned — Ray Charles

Rolling Stone — Muddy Waters

Like a Rolling Stone — Boy Dylan

Blame It on the Stones — Kris Kristofferson

I’ll Turn to Stone — The Four Tops

Hearts Made of Stone — The Fontane Sisters

Everybody Must Get Stoned — Bob Dylan

Standing Stone — Paul McCartney

Stones in the Road — Mary Chapin Carpenter

Stoney End — Laura Nyro

Heart of Stone — The Rolling Stones (double word score!)