2000 Light Years from Home

For the Green Day song, 2000 Light Years Away, see 2000 Light Years Away.

"2000 Light Years from Home" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request.^[4] Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it also appeared as the B-side to the American single "She's a Rainbow", and charted as a single in Germany.

"2000 Light Years from Home"
German single picture sleeve
Single by the Rolling Stones
from the album Their Satanic Majesties Request
A-side	"She's a Rainbow"
Released	November 1967 (1967-11) (US single)[1] 8 December 1967 (UK album)
Recorded	July & September 1967
Studio	Olympic, London
Genre	Psychedelic rock[2] space rock[3]
Length	2:52 (US promo single edit) 4:45 (single & album version)
Label	London (US) Decca (UK)
Songwriter(s)	Jagger–Richards
Producer(s)	The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones US singles chronology
"In Another Land" (1967) "2000 Light Years from Home" (1967) "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968)
Their Satanic Majesties Request track listing
10 tracks Side one "Sing This All Together" "Citadel" "In Another Land" "2000 Man" "Sing This All Together (See What Happens)" Side two "She's a Rainbow" "The Lantern" "Gomper" "2000 Light Years from Home" "On with the Show"

Jagger reportedly wrote the lyrics in Brixton prison following his conviction on drug charges in June 1967.^[5] The song was recorded by the band at Olympic Studios during July and September 1967.^[1] The working title of the instrumental backing was "Toffee Apple". Brian Jones performs prominent accompaniment on Mellotron.

The number was regularly featured during the Stones' 1989–90 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tours.

Until 1997, when "She's a Rainbow" was also added to the band's stage repertoire, it was the only track from Satanic Majesties that the band had performed in concert. For the first time in 23 years, The Rolling Stones played "2000 Light Years from Home" on 29 June 2013 at The Glastonbury Festival.

Live version

In 1991, a live version was released as the B-side to "Highwire."

Personnel

According to authors Philippe Margotin and Jean-Michel Guesdon,^[6] except where noted:

• Mick Jagger – vocals, maracas
• Keith Richards – backing vocals, lead guitar, fuzz bass^[7]
• Brian Jones – Mellotron, electric dulcimer
• Bill Wyman – bass, oscillator^[7]
• Charlie Watts – drums

Additional personnel

• Nicky Hopkins – piano
• Unidentified musicians – female backing vocals,^{[note 1]} plucked piano strings,^[7] claves^{[note 2]}

Charts

Chart (1968)	Peak position
West Germany (GfK)[10]	5

Notes

1. Margotin and Guesdon write that Jagger and Richards' vocals during the refrains at 2:36 and 3:49 are accompanied by two unidentified female voices, possibly contributed by singers Marianne Faithfull and Anita Pallenberg.^[8]
2. Margotin and Guesdon suggest the claves were played by Eddie Kramer, the session's assistant sound engineer.^[9]